Massive Illegal Encroachment Uncovered on Evacuee Trust Land in Nankana Sahib Birth place of Baba Nanak ji— Over 14,000 Units Built, Senior Officials Implicated

By Ali Imran Chattha | Lahore

A damning official report presented to the National Assembly’s Standing Committee has revealed that more than 14,000 illegal residential and commercial units have been constructed over several decades on federal government-owned Evacuee Trust Property (ETP) in Nankana Sahib district. The illegal occupation, which dates back to 1965, is estimated to have caused billions in losses to the national treasury.

According to the report, several housing schemes including Madina Town, Makkah Town, and Mochi Town were built unlawfully on evacuee land. Shockingly, some Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) officials were found to be complicit — either by aiding the encroachments or deliberately turning a blind eye.

The ETPB disclosed that although multiple operations were carried out in the past — including a major one in 2015 which recovered 242 kanals — illegal construction continued unabated. During a 2016 operation, angry mobs attacked ETPB offices, set important records on fire, and held staff hostage, but despite these serious events, no lasting preventive measures were taken.

In a fresh crackdown under a zero-tolerance policy, several officials have now faced disciplinary action. Administrator Tanveer Hussain, Assistant Administrator Fazal ur Rehman Butt, Patwari Ghulam Abbas, and Asghar have been suspended, while driver Nasim has been terminated. Investigations are underway against former and current officers including Rashid Ahmed Tunio, Ejaz Ahmed, Adnan Hassan Phalorwan, and Arsalan Naseem. Multiple FIRs have been registered, with more arrests anticipated.

To prevent further land grabbing, Section 144 has been imposed across the district. A 24/7 anti-encroachment squad has also been deployed to monitor and act on any illegal activity. Furthermore, the ETPB has collaborated with SUPARCO to complete geo-tagging of all evacuee properties, enabling real-time detection of new encroachments.

The board has also issued strict directives to utility service providers — including LESCO, Sui Northern Gas, and WASA — forbidding them from delivering any services on evacuee land without an official No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the board. Legal action has already been initiated against several government officials who violated this directive.

The ETPB Secretary reaffirmed the board’s commitment to protecting government land and ensuring strict accountability. He stated that any new information received will result in swift and impartial action against the perpetrators.