KARACHI, November 8, 2024: Provincial Minister for Home and Parliamentary Affairs Sindh Ziaul Hassan Lanjhar assured the office bearers of the Association of Builders and Developers (ABAD) of the complete elimination of land mafias and short-term kidnappers from the province. He emphasized that the construction sector is the backbone of the national economy, and praised ABAD for not only advancing the sector but also providing employment to millions of people. He appointed SP Ahmed Chaudhry as a focal person for ABAD and announced that weekly meetings would be held with ABAD office bearers.
The minister expressed these views in a meeting with an ABAD delegation led by Chairman Hasan Bakshi, which included Senior Vice Chairman Syed Afzal Hameed, Vice Chairman Tariq Aziz, Southern Region Chairman Ahmed Owais Thanvi and Hyderabad Sub-Region Vice Chairman Zulfiqar Ahmed Farooqui. Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjhar highlighted ABAD’s significant role in Pakistan’s economic growth and job creation, reaffirming his commitment to providing a peaceful environment for builders and developers to continue their work.
Lanjhar instructed police authorities to fully cooperate with ABAD office bearers and take strict action against those involved in the recent short-term kidnapping and shooting of an ABAD member. He stated that land grabbing and extortion would not be tolerated, as they hinder construction activities and pose a negative impact on the province’s economy. He assured ABAD that issues related to land grabbing and extortion would be resolved on a priority basis.
Earlier, ABAD Chairman Hasan Bakshi informed Minister Lanjhar that the police were not cooperating with ABAD against the land mafia. Bakshi also mentioned a rise in short-term kidnappings of builders and developers in Karachi, which pose serious risks to investment in the construction sector. He emphasized that ABAD members play a vital role in enhancing Karachi’s beauty and that the construction sector drives more than a hundred other industries when it thrives.
Bakshi welcomed the appointment of a focal person and the weekly meetings, thanking the minister and expressing hope that these steps would help reclaim their lands and put Karachi on the path to progress.
