What is the corruption case against Usman Buzdar?

On June 19, 2022, Punjab’s anti-corruption establishment filed two first information reports (FIRs) against the former chief minister, Usman Ahmed Buzdar, and his brothers, for allegedly illegally acquiring state land in his hometown, Dera Ghazi Khan.

What does the charge-sheet state?

Basheer Ahmed Chauhan, the complainant, alleges that he wrote to the District Commissioner of Dera Ghazi Khan on July 28, 2018, and again on June 7, 2022, insisting that the official take notice of the misappropriation of government land.

As per the police complaint, on September 4, 1982, around 474 kanals and 12 marlas of state land in D.G. Khan was “bogusly mutated” in favour of Fateh Muhammad Buzdar’s sons, therefore Usman Buzdar and his two younger brothers.

According to the Martial Law Regulation, a person already holding over 12.5 acres of land cannot be allotted any further land, the complainant states.

An inquiry was later launched into the case, states the FIR, which found that the land was indeed “malafidely, illegally, and through fraud, in connivance with revenue officials” given to Usman Buzdar, Umar Buzdar and Tahir Buzdar in 1982, while the deed was finalised in 1986.

The transfer was also illegal, as all three brothers at the time were minors. At the time the ages of the brothers were: Usman Buzdar, 13, Umar Buzdar, 12, and Tahir Buzdar, 3.

The cost of the land, as of the year 2021, has been estimated to be Rs 4,98,83,641, as per the FIR.

In a separate FIR, the complainant alleges that another 413 kanals and 14 marlas of land were also illegally transferred around the same time to Jaffar Buzdar and Ayoob Buzdar, who are also Fateh Muhammad Buzdar’s sons.

At the time, Jaffar Buzdar and Ayoob Buzdar were also minors, aged 7 and under 1 year, respectively.

In both cases the complainant has asked for the allotment to be cancelled and state land to be returned.