Several news reports refer to the "allotment" of land plots in Hayatabad, Peshawar by government officials (Dawn 18 Feb. 2001; Business Recorder 4 Jan. 2001; Middle East News Items 14 Jan. 1999). According to a 30 December 1999 Business Recorder article, the public prosecutor in the case of former chief minister Aftab Sherpao stated that the land plots that Sherpao allotted to some members of parliament for Rs 260,000 would have sold for approximately Rs 500,000 if they had been auctioned. No references to the selling of land plots by public auction could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

No information regarding whether the government has repossessed land plots in Hayatabad could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

Further to the names provided in PAK39854.E of 11 October 2002, the Website of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) of Pakistan states that Fareed Ullah Khan was acquitted of allegations made against him in 1997 regarding illegal land allotment in Hayatabad, while Sher Adam Khan was convicted in 2000 of possessing a Hayatabad plot deemed "assets beyond known sources of income" by the NAB (Pakistan n.d.). The NAB's Website specifically associates the aforementioned individuals with land plots in Hayatabad (ibid.). However, other individuals who either allocated or received land plots in Peshawar are named on the Website without specific reference to the township of Hayatabad. Iftikhar Mohmand, according to the NAB, was released after a plea-bargain from charges of "illegal allotment of [government] land by malpractice," although whether the land plots were situated in the township of Hayatabad is not stated (Pakistan n.d.). Haji Gul Sher is another individual named as facing a trial over land acquisition in Peshawar (Dawn 2 Nov. 2002). The NAB charges against Haji Gul Sher are cited as "corruption and corrupt practices" (Pakistan n.d.). For a complete list of cases and decisions made by the NAB please refer to "Court Cases" and "Peshawar" on the NAB's Website at http://www.nab.gov.pk/case_data/rdetail.asp?rname=Peshawar.

A 14 May 2002 Dawn article specifies that Sanaullah Babar and his wife Nuzhat Shaheen Babar owned "nine plots in Hayatabad." A Peshawar accountability court stated that the Babars were charged with owning "assets disproportionate to their known sources of income" (Dawn 14 May 2002). Similarly, a 22 May 2002 Dawn article provides details on Abdul Ali Khan who was accused of corruption by the NAB based on assets he reportedly owned, including one Hayatabad plot.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Business Recorder. 4 January 2001. "Accountability Bureau's Probe into 61 Land Scam Cases Enters Final Stage." (NEXIS)

____. 30 December 1999. "NWFP Plot Scam Case Hearing Ends." (NEXIS)

Dawn. 2 November 2002. "Witness Can't File Papers After Evidence is Closed." http://www.dawn.com/2002/11/02/nat13.htm [Accessed 17 Dec. 2002]

_____. 22 May 2002. "NAB Arrests Former IT Commissioner." http://www.dawn.com/2002/05/22/nat12.htm [Accessed 17 Dec. 2002]

_____. 14 May 2002. "Former Official, Wife Indicted in Assets Case." http://www.dawn.com/2002/05/14/nat14.htm [Accessed 17 Dec. 2002]

_____. 18 February 2001. "Conviction Rate of Accountability Courts is 92pc." http://www.dawn.com/2001/02/18/nat9.htm [Accessed 17 Dec. 2002]

Middle East News Items. 14 January 1999. "Former NWFP Chief Minister File at the Peshawar High Court." (NEXIS)

Pakistan. n.d. National Accountability Bureau (NAB). List of Cases Processed by the NAB in Peshawar. http://www.nab.gov.pk/case_data/rdetail.asp?rname=Peshawar [Accessed 7 Jan. 2003]

Additional Sources Consulted

IRB Databases

LEXIS/NEXIS

Internet sites, including:

World News Connection