DCs asked to inquire transfer of land of first Pak PM’s cousin

KARNAL: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has asked the DCs of Karnal, Yamunanagar and Saharanpur (Uttar Pradesh) to inquire into alleged illegal transfer of land of Aijaz Ali Khan, cousin of first Pakistan Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan.

Parveen Arora

Tribune News Service

Karnal, August 31

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has asked the DCs of Karnal, Yamunanagar and Saharanpur (Uttar Pradesh) to inquire into alleged illegal transfer of land of Aijaz Ali Khan, cousin of first Pakistan Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan.

PN Srinivas, Assistant, Custodian of Enemy Property, Lucknow, asked the DCs to submit the report soon.

Aijaz Ali had around 1,200 acres at Dabkoli Khurd village in Karnal district before Partition. After 1947, three villages — Banno Khedi, Dabkoli Sirajpur and Takipur all in Uttar Pradesh — were developed on the land.

The villagers, whose forefathers used to cultivate land of Aijaz Ali, approached the Prime Minister’s Office, the Home Minister’s office and the Foreign Minister’s office last month, alleging some persons fraudulently got the property of Aijaz Ali transferred in their name.

“These persons had got sanctioned land mutation in their name, claiming themselves to be relative of Aijaz Ali,” said Uday Bir Singh of Dabkoli.

He alleged a fake will was prepared, in which 1962 and Haryana was mentioned. “The state came into existence in 1966.”

Singh said that after the Partition, Nawab Umar Daraz Ali Khan, father of Aijaz Ali and uncle of Liaquat Ali Khan whose family had ruled over Karnal, and his family had migrated to Pakistan.

“The land went to the custodian, but later, around 900 acres was allotted to 62 villagers, who cultivated the land,” said Randhir Singh, another villager.

The Custodian of Enemy Property has ordered an inquiry into the bogus will and said Enemy properties were to be preserved and managed as per the Enemy Property Act, 1968, and Enemy Property Rules, 2015, by the District Magistrate concerned, who is also the ex-officio Deputy Custodian of Enemy Property.

As per villagers, a team from Lucknow visited Dabkoli Khurd on Monday and took some record with it. The the administration did not confirm the visit.

Deputy Commissioner Mandeep Singh Brar said the administration will inquire into the matter and anyone found guilty would not be spared.