NA body approves bill to tighten noose around land mafia

ISLAMABAD - National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior and Narcotics Control Wednesday passed the Illegal Dispossession (Amendment) Bill-2016, under which land grabbers would face imprisonment up to three years or fine, or the both.

Under a section of the bill, "Whoever forcibly and wrongfully dispossesses any owner or occupier of any property and his act does not fall within sub-section (1), shall be punished with imprisonment which may extend to three years or with fine or with both, in addition to any other punishment to which he may be liable under any other law for the time being in force.

The person dispossessed shall also be compensated in accordance with provisions of section 544A of the Code."

The committee meeting, chaired by Rana Shamim Ahmad Khan, also constituted a sub-committee under the chair of Syed Javed Ali Shah to consider all private member bills pending before the main body, which would submit its report within 30 days.

The body confirmed the minutes of its previous meeting held on October 27 with majority, while its member Salman Khan Baloch submitted a dissenting note in this regard.

The committee also discussed matters pertaining to approval of Arms Licences to Members of National Assembly (MNAs) and the general public.

The Secretary Interior apprised the body that recommendations were being prepared in this regard, which would be finalised by end of January 2017.

Among others, the meeting was attended by Syed Javed Ali Shah, Ghalib Khan, Sheikh Muhammad Akram, Syed Iftikhar-ul-Hassan, Mian Shahid Hussain Khan Bhatti, Salman Khan Baloch, Naeema Kishwer Khan, Sher Akber Khan, Kishwer Zehra, Asiya Nasir and Surriya Asghar, besides senior officers of the ministries of Interior and Narcotics Control and Law and Justice.