HYDERABAD: The Hyderabad Development Authority (HDA) has submitted with NAB officials the details of 80-acre land allotted to Bahria Town for the establishment of a private university in Latifabad`s Kohsar area. The HDA claimed that Bahria Town owes Rs2.447bn to the it against cost of the land.

The details were submitted before NAB officials in Karachi on Thursday, according to sources close to the matter. Details were shared with the NAB following its call-up notice issued to the HDA director general on Sept 18. The NAB sought details in view of allegations of corruption and corrupt practices by way of allotment of state land measuring 80 acres in Deh Ganjo Takkar to Bahria Town in 2015.

The NAB asked the DG to share details of complete record of allotment of the above stated land; detail of officers/officials of the HDA who approved the said allotment; complete record/detail of payment made by Bahria Town against the said allotment. Newly-posted DG Nasrullah Abbasi confirmed to Dawn on Thursday that details as sought by the NAB had been submitted to it. But he avoided sharing details.

Information obtained by this reporter revealed that the land allotment was processed for the establishment of a university that was initially established as `Altaf Hussain University` when MQM`s Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan was the Sindh governor. But after Aug 22, 2016, when the MQM founder delivered an objectionable speech, the university was named after Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah by the Sindh Assembly. In December 2014, the assembly had passed charters for two private universities to be financed by a trust founded by real estate tycoon Malik Riaz.