Karachi’s land wars: power, politics and the plunder of public property
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KARACHI (Web Desk) – A sprawling investigation into Karachi’s real estate sector has uncovered allegations of systemic land grabbing, political patronage and bureaucratic complicity that have enabled the transfer of vast tracts of state land into private hands.
At the centre of several claims is a network of politically connected individuals, revenue officials and developers accused of manipulating land records, securing questionable NOCs and using coercive tactics to seize valuable plots, particularly in districts West and Keamari.
The case of a three-acre plot near Mai Kolachi Road last year illustrates the alleged modus operandi. A confrontation between rival groups led to multiple FIRs and arrests, with claims that false cases were filed to pressure stakeholders into surrendering land. Political leaders later intervened, and key accused individuals were released, fuelling perceptions of selective enforcement.
Investigative findings point to discrepancies between official land records and on-ground development. In several housing schemes in deh Halkani and Bund Murad, projects were found to be built on ‘na class’ — unsurveyed state land — despite builders presenting survey numbers and NOCs. Digitised data from the Land Revenue Management Information System (LARMIS) allegedly contradicts claims made in marketing materials.
Sources within the bureaucracy allege that bribes are routinely paid to have state land reclassified or to secure layout approvals. Revenue officials, including mukhtiarkars and tapedars, are accused of facilitating fraudulent entries, while anti-encroachment actions are frequently stalled by stay orders from tribunals.
A complaint to the National Accountability Bureau detailed suspicious transactions involving nearly 1,500 acres, including over 1,100 acres of state land. Though inquiries were initiated, many cases were later transferred, and no major prosecutions have materialised.
Meanwhile, public housing schemes such as Hawkesbay Scheme 42 remain largely undeveloped decades after launch, even as private, often unleased societies mushroom nearby. Real estate experts say weak oversight and political interference have hollowed out regulatory safeguards.
Past judicial interventions — including a Supreme Court ban on government land transfers until digitisation — have done little to curb encroachments in outlying areas where land is plentiful and oversight limited.
Despite periodic crackdowns and transfers of officials, observers say the system remains entrenched. “Faces change, but practices persist,” said one senior civil servant.
The allegations underscore a broader crisis of governance in Sindh, where public land — held in trust for citizens — is repeatedly drawn into opaque deals benefiting a powerful few.
Tags: Karachi, Land Grabbing, Sindh Government, Board of Revenue, Real Estate, NAB, Corruption, Housing Schemes
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