Evacuee Trust Property Board

Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), Pakistan
Agency overview
Jurisdiction Government of Pakistan
Headquarters 9 Court Street, Lahore 54000, Punjab, Pakistan
31°33′17″N 74°21′26″E / 31.5546°N 74.3572°E / 31.5546; 74.3572
Agency executive
  • Dr. Ramesh Kumar Vankwani, Chairman
Website http://www.etpb.gov.pk/

Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), established in 1960, is a statutory board of the Government of Pakistan, which administers evacuee properties and shrines of Hindus and Sikhs attached to religious, charitable or educational trusts left behind by Hindus & Sikhs who migrated to India after 1947 partition of India.[1] ETPB is responsible for managing sacred Hindu and Sikh shrines, but provides no jobs to Hindus.[2] 20% or 20,000 acres of ETPB's Hindu and Sikh farm land was under illegal occupation by the powerful people and further housands of acres of land was "hidden" (missing) from the ETPB records due to the corrupt employees,[3][4] while no Hindus are employed by ETPB to manage their own land and shrines.[2] ETPB, mired in mismanagement,[2] was caught in large scams of illegally recruiting 800 (Muslims/non-Hindu) employees and illegally selling Rs.5 billion worth of ETPB land (of Hindus and Sikhs shrines).[5][6][7][8]

In 1990s nearly 1000 Hindu temples were targeted by the frenzied Islamist in Pakistan for destruction.[9] Out of Pakistan's 428 Hindu temples under ETPB in Pakistan only 26 survive today and they remain neglected by the ETPB which controls those.[10] ETPB failed to take any action to prevent destruction of temples it is tasked to protect.[11] Temples were sold by ETPB against the section 20 and 36 of law that prohibits sales or demolition of religious temples and later demolished with the connivance of the corrupt ETPB.[11][12] Contrastingly, to protect Muslims's interest Pakistan has strict blasphemy laws and over 62 people have been murdered with the mere allegation of blasphemy against Islam,[13][14] where accused are commonly subject to the harassment, threats, attacks and rioting,[15] and blasphemy against Islam is a tool that "is overwhelmingly being used to persecute religious minorities and settle personal vendettas."[16][14][17] Hindus have to hide their identity, adopt muslim names and mannerism to survive and live in the fear while hundreds of temples have been vandalized or demolished.[9]

Hindu and Sikh properties

The board controls and manages 109,404 acres of agricultural land and 46,499 of built-up urban sub-units of Hindus and Sikhs in accordance with two schemes namely, “Scheme for the Lease of Evacuee Trust Agricultural Land, 1975” and "Schemes for the Management and Disposal of Urban Evacuee Trust Properties, 1977.[1]

ETPB runs the Dyal Singh Trust Library, Janki Devi Jamiat Singh hospital and 7 health centers.[18] ETPB is custodian of the minorities shrines of Hindus and Sikhs, including Hinglaj Mata and Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee and more.[18] ETPB is also allied with several other institutes, namely Pakistan Model Educational Institutions Foundation, Ayesha Sadiqa Degree College, Nawaz Sharif Trust Model, Trust Model Public High School, MBBS Trust Model Girls Higher Secondary School and Dr. Mateen Fatima Trust model School.[18]

Pakistan annually allows 800 Hindus and 7,500 Sikhs yatris from other nations. Hindus can only visit Shahdani Darbar (400 pilgrims for 10 days in Nov-Dec) and Katas Raj Temples (200 pilgrims for five days in Feb-Mar and October). Sikhs can visit Gurdwara Panja Sahib (3000 pilgrims on Baisakhi), Nankana Sahib (3000 pilgrims on Guru Nanak's birthday), Samadhi of Ranjit Singh (500 pilgrims on Maharaja Ranjit Singh's death anniversary) and Guru Arjan Dev's martyrdom day (1000 pilgrims).[18] Guru Arjan was arrested under the orders of the mughal emperor Jahangir and asked to convert to Islam,[19][20] and he was tortured and executed in 1606 CE after he refused to convert to Islam (from Jahangir's Memoirs, Jahangirnama 27b-28a, translated by Wheeler M. Thackston).[21][19]

Corruption

Destruction of ETPB temples and gurudwaras

Secret demolition of Ancient Hindu temple in Karimpura of Peshawar

In February 2016, an ancient Hindu temple in Karimpura of Peshawar's old town was being demolished under the grab of repairs, to grab the land for illegally building a mall, while ETBP and archaeological department that are tasked to protect it failed to take action even after locals alerted the authorities.[11]

Illegal sale by ETBP of Hindu temple and its demolition at Mohalla Soha of Haripur

Under Pakistan's law section 20 and 3 a place of worship can not be sold or demoilished but as per the police inquire based on ETBP's request, police found that the ETBP sold the Hindu temple at Mohalla Soha of Haripur of Khyber Pukhtunkhwa, to Muhammad Nawaz Khan of Mohallah Motiyan, via a registration deed in an open auction. He had been occupying the temple since 1972. After purchase from ETBP, he sold it to Nisar Begum of Mohallah Motiyan, who sold it to Saeed Akhtar of Haripur. Muslims owners, Nisar and Akhtars, progressively demolished this Hindu temple. Later ETPB official, who had earlier visited the site, backed off from their responsibility. ETPB Assistant Administrator, Muhammad Abdullah, claimed that temple was non-functional and in dilapidated condition on December 23, 2016 and hence sold out. Current owner Akhat agreed there was a religious structure before and he also confessed he plans to build a two-storey commercial structure. This emple was built by Mehta Hemraj. Haripur was founded by Hari Singh Nalwa in 1822. Haripur use to have up to 15 temples and 3 Gurudwaras, only 4 to 5 temples remain that too occupied by the shop keepers and only surviving gurudwara is a school now.[12]

Desecration of Hindu properties by leasing those for Islamic rituals

ETPB leased Hindu properties to Haj pilgrimage.[22]

Land grab scams

Thousands of acres of "hidden" (unaccountable) land grab scams

As per the ETPB chairman himself, in addition to 20,000 of 100,000 of evacuee land,[3] corrupt ETPB employees (ETPBdoes not employee any Hindus)[2] have hidden thousands of acres of more of evacuee land from the ETBP records that ETPB is not in the know of (c. Dec 2017).[3]

20,000 acre known illegal occupation of land

Out of 100,000 acre Hindu and Sikh land on ETPB's records, 20,000 (20%) is illegally occupied by the powerful people and even government departments, with over 1,000 cases pending only for partial list of these. Worst offenders are Southern Zone (Sindh and Balochistan) where out of 21,000 acre Hindu and Sikh farm land, 16,000 acre land has been has illegally grabbed by the powerful people, including 9,880 acre in Hydrabad, 6,598 acre in Sukkur, and 535 acre in Karachi. Central zone of Multan, Sahiwal, Layyah and Bahawalpur has 1,244 land illegally occupied including 44 acre by the government departments with 28 acres in Sahiwal alone.[3] According to ETBP Chairman, the Sindh government did not help in recovery of such vast amount of illegally grabbed land.[4]

Rs. 5 billion illegal ETPB-DHA land grab scam

Rs. 5 billion land grab is a case of illegally transferring 946 acres of ETPB land to private persons since 1952 while making the wrong interpretation of the Supreme Court order.[7] Defence Housing Authority (DHA) had illegally acquired ETPB’s 843 kanals land in Mauza Mota Singhwala and Mauza Lidhar, where against the rule ETBP had allegedly agreed to receive 25 per cent of the "undeveloped" plots, instead of 33pc, thus benefiting the DHA.[23] This included illegal transfer 544 kanals of agriculture ETPB land attached to two Sikh shrines, Samadh Bhai Maan Singh and Gurdwara Deh in Lidhar village of Lahore Cantonment, to DHA in violation of ETPB's own scheme for management of evacuee trust agriculture land.[24] That samadhi and gurudwara no longer exist (converted/demolished).[24] As per FIA, 238 kanals land worth 4 billion that was illegally given to the DHA, had been returned.[7] A District Coordination Officer (DCO) and other officials of the revenue department at district Okara who had illegally transferred 946 acres of ETPB land to private persons were suspended.[7]

ETPB chairman between 2008–13, Syed Asif Hashmi, who was convicted of making illegal appointments at the ETPB and he was also wanted in RS 1 billion ETPB-DHA deal.[5][25][23][6] Hashmi was also wanted for the investigation for his role in 800 illegal appointments in ETPB, allotment of six bungalows and three plazas in the DHA deal, several flats in Lahore, and land in Nankana Sahib and Sindh allegedly in violation of rules.[23][6] A complaint with evidence was also filed against his accomplice, Assistant Data Controller Officer Imran Arif Janjua.[5][23]

Peshawar illegal land grab scam

In December 2014, Chairman Siddiq-Al-Faroo1, issued a notification for dismissing department employees involved in corruption and in helping land mafia in illegal land grab of ETPB's 49 kanals in Pir Ghaib Baba of Peshawar where 300 houses and 350 shops have been illegally built by establishing illegal settlements in Sardarabad, Qaziabad, Ahmadabd and Shah Jee.[26]

Pakistan Navy attempt to acquire ETPB land

With large amount of ETPB land being "hidden" (unaccounted for due to corruption), further 20% of the accounted land is under illegal occupation,[3] no Hindu employees have been appointed,[2] while land and jobs are and illegally grabbed and scammed away,[3] many government department have illegally grabbed ETPB land, and Pakistan Navy is eyeing ETPB land in Karachi.[3]

Lal Haveli Bohar Bazar Lahore illegal land occupation scam

Chief of Awami Muslim League, Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad, has been illegally occupying ETPB property at Bohar Bazar in Lahore and a court case is going on.[27]

Money grab and illegal job scams

800 illegal ETPB employee recruitment scam

Syed Asif Hashmi, who was ETPB chairman between 2008–13, was convicted of making illegal appointments at the ETPB.[5] He was investigated by Federal Investigation Agency and National Accountability Bureau,[23] for his role in 3 cases, first case of Hashmi's investmeÀnt of Rs 985.56 million rupees in a private firm "High Links Capital", second case of about illegal appointments, promotion and illegal regularization of employees in ETPB, and third case of illegal allotment of 1.5 billion ETPB land to ETPB employees.[25][5] In April 2016, Interpol arrested him in Dubai under the Red Warrant against him in over Rs1 billion ETPB-DHA deal.[5][23][6] He was also wanted for the investigation for his role in 800 illegal appointments in ETPB and its educational institutions "without merit" and out-of-turn promotions.[23][6][8]

A complaint with evidence was also filed against his accomplice, Assistant Data Controller Officer Imran Arif Janjua.[28][5] In June 2017, NAB arrested "Khalid Beg", former secretary of the Pakistan Model Educational Institutions Foundation (PMEIF), who turned approval against Syed Asif Hashmi. Beg claimed to have worked under the control of Hashmi for his alleged involvement in the illegal appointments of teachers, clerks and medical staff during 2008-2013 by "misusing of his authority" in ETBP case.[6][5]

Several ETPB employees were reportedly upset over Hashmi's arrest as his "interrogation" here may put their jobs at risk.[23]

Religious discrimination of Hindus and Sikhs by ETPB

No Hindus employees at ETPB

In November 2017, Supreme Court of Pakistan, that strong exception over the alleged mismanagement of ETPB, was also informed that the board did not provide any jobs to the Hindus.[2] ETPB, an entity responsible for managing properties of Hindus and Sikhs, was involved in large scams to illegally recruit 800 (Muslims/non-Hindu) employees and illegally sell ETPB land (of Hindus and Sikhs).[5][6][7][8]

Supreme court case of missing Hindu idols and ETPB's neglect of Katas Raj Temples

In November 2017, 3 member bench of Supreme Court of Pakistan took Suo Muto notice of Katas Raj Temples, one of the most sacred Hindu place of worship in Pakistan, based on media reports that cement factories in the vicinity were draw ground water resulting in drying up of scared pond at the temple. After finding out that the statues are missing from the temple, court questioned the ETPB if the statues of Lord Rama and Hanuman are with the institution or had been sold off.[29][30] In November 2017, Chief Justice Saqib Nisar reprimanded the government for its to protect the temple, one of the Hindu minority’s most revered places of worship.[29] Judge mentioned that that Katas Raj was a national heritage site and must be protected and ordered that a committee be set up to probe the issue.[29]

In December 2017, the Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar during the hearing of a case on Katas Raj Temple in Chakwal expressed displeasure at the absence or displacing of idols from the temples, demanding to know why there were no statues in the temples of Shiri Ram and Hanuman. The bench was told that Asif Hashmi, a former chairman of Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), earned millions of rupees from corruption [during his tenure] and then ran away [from Pakistan].[30] The current Chairman of the board, Mr. Saddique, also highlighted his "fight against corruption" [within the Board] in his message on the official website of the Board.[31]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Evacuee Trust Property Board
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 SC is the custodian of minority rights, says CJP, Tribune Express (Pakistan), 30 Nov 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Thousands of acres of evacuee land hidden, ETBP chairman, The News International
  4. 1 2 Evacuee trust to seek Rangers’ help for land retrieval, The Express Tribune, 28 March 2017.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 NAB releases key accused in ETPB scam, Daily Times, 4 July 2017.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 NAB finds approver against Asif Hashmi, Dawn (newspaper), 4 July 2017.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Another scam
  8. 1 2 3 Distrusted in ETPB, The Nation, 4 Apr 2015.
  9. 1 2 The Hindus of Pakistan, Friday Times, Oct 2014.
  10. ↑ Hindu temples of Pakistan.
  11. 1 2 3 Ancient Hindu temple in Peshawar being 'secretly' demolished, say locals
  12. 1 2 Minority rights: Another Hindu temple demolished, The Express Tribune, 21 Jan 2017.
  13. ↑ Hashim, Asad (17 May 2014). "Living in fear under Pakistan's blasphemy law". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 21 November 2014. In Pakistan, 17 people are on death row for blasphemy, and dozens more have been extrajudicially murdered.
  14. 1 2 "Bad-mouthing: Pakistan’s blasphemy laws legitimise intolerance". The Economist. 29 November 2014.
  15. ↑ Lee, Morgan (20 August 2013). "Muslim Cleric Accused to Framing Christian Girl of Blasphemy is Freed By Pakistan Court Amid Witness Death Threat Rumors". CP World. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
  16. ↑ Hanif, Mohammed (5 September 2012). "How to commit blasphemy in Pakistan". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 December 2014.
  17. ↑ "What are Pakistan's blasphemy laws?". BBC News. 6 November 2014. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
  18. 1 2 3 4 ETPB inom other nations to visit the shrines on the restricted occasions. Hindus can visit only two shrines: Shadstitutes
  19. 1 2 Pashaura Singh (2005), Understanding the Martyrdom of Guru Arjan, Journal of Philosophical Society, 12(1), pages 29-62
  20. ↑ Kulathungam, Lyman (2012). Quest : Christ amidst the quest. Wipf. pp. 175–177. ISBN 978-1-61097-515-5.
  21. ↑ Jahangir, Emperor of Hindustan (1999). The Jahangirnama: Memoirs of Jahangir, Emperor of India. Translated by Thackston, Wheeler M. Oxford University Press. p. 59. ISBN 978-0-19-512718-8.
  22. ↑ ETPB land leased to Haji Camp, Pakistan Observer, 26 Mar 2017.
  23. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Former Chairman of ETPB to be quizzed for corruption
  24. 1 2 Sikh shrines: Evacuee board favours DHA against rules., Dawn, 4 Oct 2009.
  25. 1 2 Siddiqui, Sophia. "NAB for putting PPP leader Asif Hashmi's name on ECL". Pakistan Observer. Retrieved 2017-12-13.
  26. ↑ ETPB to take action against corrput officials
  27. ↑ ETPB offers Sheikh Rasheed to buy lal haveli land, Dawan, 16 oct 2016.
  28. ↑ Corrupt ETPB officials given more responsibility
  29. 1 2 3 Pakistan Supreme Court fumes as idols missing from Katas Raj temples , Hindustan Times, 13 Dec 2017.
  30. 1 2 "SC bars lower courts from hearing cases on Katas Raj temple". The Dawn newspaper. 12 December 2017. Retrieved 12 December 2017.
  31. ↑ "Chairman's Message". The Dawn newspaper. December 2017. Retrieved 12 December 2017.
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