MULTAN: Keeping the government in the dark, a man most likely through a fake deed has sold a portion of the 50-marla official residence ofa deputy directorof the Punjab Housing and Town Planning Agency (Phata).

Shafigur Rehman sold two five-marla plots to brothers Makhan Shah and Dilawar Shah from the land of residence of Phata deputy director and office of the housing district secretary located in New Multan, a residential scheme launched by Phata in 1975. The pieces of land were registered in the name of the brothers on May 7.

According to the registration documents, Rehman and Riaz Ahmed had purchased a 45-marla piece in 1993 from the owners of the land from whom Phata had purchased the land in 1975 when the scheme was launched.

A residence was constructed for Phata officials and since then had been used for residential and official purposes; currently Assistant Director Rizwan Ahmed, who retired on April 30, was residing in the building.

Phata Deputy Director Rana Tariq Javed said he was told that registration document of a five-marla plot from the piece of land where the 50-marla residence was located was available in the market for sale.

He said he managed to get a copy of the registration document and contacted the land registration branch to verify it where it was revealed that the land was sold out by Shafigur Rehman, who carried a `registration document` from 1993 according to which he had purchased 45 marlas of the land along with Riaz Ahmed allegedly from its owners.

He said he immediately informed Shah Rukn-i-Alam police about the incident and simultaneously filed a suit in the civil court requesting the court to grant a stay. He said the department also pasted a public notice on the wall of the residence announcing the land could not be purchased as it belonged to the department.

Civil Judge Mansab Ali Joiya issued a stay order and summoned the respondents for further proceeding in the case.

To avert any attempt at possession from private individuals, the department`s staff had been deployed at the site while police were also paying visits there particularly at night.

Shah Rukn-i-Alam Police Station Duty Officer Shahid Nawaz feigned ignorance about the incident.