Latest news with #PervezMusharraf
News18
12-07-2025
- Business
- News18
Enemy Property: A Link Between Pervez Musharraf And Saif Ali Khan
Saif is not alone. Pakistan's former president and army chief Pervez Musharraf's property too was auctioned under the same Enemy Property Act. What is Enemy Property? Enemy property is property abandoned by those who emigrated from India to Pakistan or China following the Partition of India in 1947 or subsequent hostilities (particularly the 1962, 1965, and 1971 wars). The Enemy Property Act of 1968 was enacted by the Indian government, under which these properties are acquired and controlled by the Custodian of Enemy Property for India (CEPI), an organisation under the ministry of home affairs. These assets cannot be claimed, transferred, or inherited by relatives residing in India, particularly after significant legislative amendments provided in 2017, which consolidated the Act. What Changed in 2017? The Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Act, 2017, was a game-changer. It introduced some significant changes. All the properties of the enemy are to perpetually vest with the custodian, irrespective of any court judgments or succession acts. Any sale or transfer of enemy property, even prior to the 2017 law, is null and void. Legal heirs, even Indian nationals, cannot inherit these properties. Courts are barred from adjudicating disputes regarding such properties. Saif Ali Khan's Bhopal Properties Declared Enemy Property Saif Ali Khan is the nephew of Begum Sajida Sultan, the late Begum of Bhopal. She inherited various royal properties in Bhopal after her elder sister, Abida Sultan, emigrated to Pakistan in 1950 and became a Pakistani citizen. In 2000, a trial court had ordered that Saif, his mother Sharmila Tagore, and sisters be allowed to inherit properties such as Flagstaff House, Noor-Us-Sabah Palace (which is now a luxury hotel), Dar-Us-Salam, Habibia Bangla, Ahmedabad Palace and Kohefiza property. But in July 2025, the Madhya Pradesh High Court overruled that decision. It ruled that since Abida Sultan had emigrated to Pakistan, the whole estate was enemy property under the 1968 Act. The HC directed a new trial in the district court within one year. In the meantime, the Custodian of Enemy Property can take over the properties for administration or auction. Pervez Musharraf's Family Land Also Auctioned One of the most high-profile cases was that of Pervez Musharraf, a former President of Pakistan. His family had property in Baghpat district, Uttar Pradesh. In September 2024, a 13-bigha (approximately 2-hectare) piece of agricultural land owned by the Musharraf family was auctioned by CEPI. The sale was legally enforceable under the Enemy Property Act. It was one of the first large-scale publicised auctions of an enemy property owned by a person of Musharraf's standing. How Many Enemy Properties in India? There are more than 12,600 enemy properties in India, as per government records. There are approximately 12,485 from Pakistan and approximately 126 from China. The total value of such properties is estimated to be around Rs 1 lakh crore. These are land plots, residential houses, palaces, and business buildings. The big states with enemy properties are Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Delhi, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh. How Many Have Been Auctioned? CEPI has sold hundreds of properties throughout India, primarily agricultural and residential real estate. Dozens of sales have taken place in Uttar Pradesh, Bengaluru, and Maharashtra. In Bengaluru alone, 24 properties were estimated to be worth over Rs 500 crore. Exact figures differ by region and year, but auctions remain a steady source of income for the government. The Mahmudabad Case: A Turning Point One of the most famous cases is that of the Raja of Mahmudabad, whose father migrated to Pakistan in 1947. The family fought a decades-long legal battle to reclaim their property in Uttar Pradesh. advetisement In 2005, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the Raja, allowing him to reclaim his assets. However, this judgment caused panic within the government, which feared more claims. As a result, the 2017 amendment to the Act was passed, effectively overruling the Supreme Court judgment and blocking future claims from Indian heirs. Government's Role and CEPI's Power
The Diplomat
30-06-2025
- Politics
- The Diplomat
Anatomy of an Insurgency: Balochistan's Crisis and Pakistan's Failures
Balochistan is Pakistan's largest province, comprising 44 percent of the country's territory, yet it has a relatively small population of approximately 14.8 million. Of this population, only 5.9 million are ethnic Baloch, with Pashtuns forming the other significant demographic group. The province has been engulfed in an insurgency since 2006, but the conflict has recently undergone a dramatic transformation. What began as a tribal resistance movement has evolved into a formidable insurgency with separatist ambitions, complemented by a broader peaceful political movement. Recent escalations demonstrate both the insurgents' growing operational capabilities and the Pakistani state's persistent reliance on heavy-handed military responses that continue to alienate Baloch society. Federal Overreach: The Catalyst for Modern Insurgency The roots of contemporary unrest, according to Baloch nationalists, trace back to Pakistan's founding when in 1948 the State of Kalat was forcibly incorporated into the federation despite local resistance. However, the current insurgency was catalyzed by then-President General Pervez Musharraf's unilateral decision to construct Gwadar Port, bypassing constitutional structures including the National Assembly, Council of Common Interest, and the Balochistan Provincial government. This decision came despite ongoing negotiations through a Senate Committee led by Senator Mushahid Hussain, then the secretary general of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (Q), that had nearly achieved consensus. Akbar Bugti – a veteran political leader and Tumandar of the Bugti tribe who had served as chief minister, governor, and federal minister of state – had opposed the Gwadar project due to concerns about demographic changes from nationwide migration and the lack of guarantees that locals would benefit from development. Musharraf's handling of political disagreements with Baloch leaders was marked by intimidation, and when security forces initiated operations against protests surrounding the port's construction, Bugti and his supporters retreated to the mountains where military forces killed him in August 2006. Bugti's death transformed him from a collaborator with Islamabad into a nationalist hero, reinvigorating independence demands that had largely lain dormant since General Zia-ul-Haq's rapprochement with Baloch dissidents in the 1980s. Bugti's death became a rallying point for the insurgency. The August 2024 surge in insurgent violence coincided with his death anniversary, demonstrating the enduring symbolic power of the event. It is critical to understand that Balochistan is treated by the center as a repository of resources. The federal government has frequently disregarded constitutional and legal norms to impose its will, through presidential decrees in the case of Gwadar Port or the current use of the Special Investment Facility for granting mining concessions in Reko Diq and elsewhere in Balochistan. This pattern remains consistent across administrations. The province has been subjected to resource extraction, yet locals and the provincial government receive minimal benefits or returns, despite the fact that mining and energy extraction is constitutionally designated as a provincial and not a federal subject. Consequently, Baloch insurgents view Chinese and other foreign investors as co-conspirators in the plunder of the province's resources.
Express Tribune
17-06-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Key projects put on ice for another year
After a year-long campaign filled with lofty promises and bold slogans about launching ten state-of-the-art mega projects to address the city's core problems and essential needs, these much-publicised initiatives have now been postponed. Initially planned for the current fiscal year 2024-25 — already strained by a deepening economic crisis — the projects have been unceremoniously deferred to the upcoming fiscal year 2025-26. Over the past 12 months, the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA), Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA), the District Council, District Administration, and Municipal Corporation have all failed entirely to initiate a single one of these projects. The projects have been pending for 17 years, and continuous delays have caused their estimated costs to surge by 100 to 300%, with a further 25% increase expected after budget approvals. Among these mega projects are the Lai Expressway, sewerage water tunnel and treatment plant, Ghazi Brotha water project, new large-diameter steel pipeline from Rawal Dam for additional water supply, Mother and Child Hospital, Ring Road, three large commercial parking plazas, underpasses from Mareer Chowk to Liaqat Bagh Chowk, Doodhcha Dam, and Chehan Dam water supply scheme. All these projects were initially prepared between 2008 and 2012 but were sidelined due to frequent changes in political governments. The 22-kilometer Lai Expressway was launched in 2008, with its foundation stone laid by then-President General Pervez Musharraf. However, despite 17 years having passed, it remains incomplete. Its initial estimated cost of 1.7 billion rupees has now escalated to 11 billion rupees. The Mother and Child Hospital is a 12-year-old project. Although the state-of-the-art building housing 13 operation theaters was completed, the project has been shut down for the last three years. Originally costing Rs900 million, the building was completed with an OPD inauguration planned for April 30, 2022. However, the government was dissolved on April 10, and the project stalled. Since then, windows, cabinets, doors, iron grills, and machinery have been stolen, and the expansive building has become a shelter for bats, dogs, cats, and snakes. While an additional Rs25m was allocated, work stoppage has caused losses to soar to approximately Rs150m. The sewerage water tunnel and treatment plant, originally estimated at Rs3b and now costing over Rs6b, has been stalled for four years. Similarly, the Chehan Dam water supply scheme has been repeatedly promised throughout the year, but as the fiscal year ended, it too was pushed into the new budget. Its cost has risen from Rs600m to 650m. The Rawal Dam new pipeline and commercial parking plaza projects have proved to be mere publicity stunts. The Ghazi Brotha water project, crucial to meeting the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad's water needs for 100 years, was also neglected again this year. Without Ghazi Brotha, the water crisis of the twin cities cannot be resolved. The project cost has inflated from Rs8.7b to Rs20b over 10 years. The Doodhcha Dam and Ring Road projects have become deadlocked due to extreme delays. Their completion deadlines have expired repeatedly, and now they too have been pushed into the new fiscal year. Because of the severe financial crisis, the District Municipal Corporation failed to launch any significant development scheme during the outgoing fiscal year 2024-25. However, District Development Committee convener and MNA Engineer Qamar-ul-Islam claims that record-breaking roads have been constructed this year, and with a record development budget in the new fiscal year, all mega projects will finally be initiated.
India.com
03-06-2025
- Business
- India.com
Former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf's ancestral property auctioned in..., bought by...
New Delhi: The name of former President of Pakistan and his family has now been permanently erased from government records of Kotana village. Thirteen bigha of the declared agricultural land of Pervez Musharraf's relatives has been registered in the names of buyers after the auction. As a result, the names of Pervez Musharraf and his family members have been completely removed. There was approximately 13 bigha of land belonging to former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf's brother and family in Kotana village. Years ago, after all family members moved to Pakistan, this land was declared enemy property. Yogi Adityanath, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh took cognizance of this, and several months ago, the enemy property was auctioned off by the Custodian Office in Lucknow. It was purchased for 1.38 crore rupees by contractor Pankaj and Manoj Goyal from Baraut city, along with JK Steel from Ghaziabad. Supervisor Prashant Saini from the Enemy Property Custodian Office in Lucknow reached the Baraut Tehsil, where buyers registered the transfer of the related land in their names. After the transfer, the actual owners of this land became Pankaj Contractor, Manoj Goyal, and JK Steel from Ghaziabad. In this way, the name of Pervez Musharraf's family has been completely eliminated from this land. SDM Baraut Manish Kumar Yadav stated that the enemy property auctioned in Kotana has now had its buyers register the transfer in their names. It is noteworthy that Pervez Musharraf's father Musharrafuddin and mother Begum Zareen were residents of Kotana village. Both got married in Kotana. They moved to Delhi in 1943, where Pervez Musharraf and his brother Dr. Javed Musharraf were born. His family settled in Pakistan during the partition in 1947. The enemy property was registered, but besides Delhi, the family's mansion and agricultural land were located in Kotana village, where Pervez Musharraf's land was sold while his brother Dr. Javed Musharraf and other family members' agricultural land remained. Additionally, the mansion in Khotana was registered in the name of his cousin Humayun. The land of Pervez Musharraf's brother Dr. Javed Musharraf and other family members was registered as enemy property.
News18
12-05-2025
- Politics
- News18
At 4 Days, What This The Shortest Conflict Between India And Pakistan?
Last Updated: Since 1947, India and Pakistan have fought four wars, but this latest conflict was notably brief Was this the shortest 'war' between India and Pakistan till date? The intense cross-border firing and drone activity between the nuclear-armed neigbours continued for four days, but there were no incidents along the heavily militarized Line of Control on the night of May 11 to 12. On Saturday, both nations agreed to cease all military operations on land, in the air and at sea to avoid further escalation. Since 1947, India and Pakistan have fought four wars, but this latest conflict was notably brief. First War Lasted 15 Months The history of India-Pakistan wars includes four major conflicts and several significant military operations. The first war, known as the Kashmir War, occurred between 1947 and 1948, spanning 15 months. This conflict began in October 1947 and lasted until January 1949, involving Pakistan-backed tribal attackers aiming to seize Kashmir. Maharaja Hari Singh of Kashmir subsequently merged with India, saving half of Kashmir while Pakistan occupied the other half, termed Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). A United Nations-mediated ceasefire ended this war. Second War Lasted 22 Days The second war in 1965 lasted for 22 days from August 5 to September 23. Triggered by Pakistan's Operation Gibraltar, it saw India gain a significant advantage before a ceasefire was declared. The Tashkent Agreement in January 1966 restored the pre-war status quo. Third War Lasted 13 Days In 1971, the third India-Pakistan war, also known as the Bangladesh Liberation War, lasted 13 days from December 3 to December 16, and resulted in the creation of Bangladesh. This conflict led to a historic defeat for Pakistan, with 93,000 soldiers surrendering. The subsequent Simla Agreement established the Line of Control (LoC), with India returning captured territory to Pakistan. The Kargil War of 1999 was a prolonged conflict, lasting around 2 months and 20 days. It began in May and ended on July 26, involving the infiltration of Pakistani forces into the Kargil region. India emerged victorious, reclaiming its territory and causing international disgrace for Pakistan, leading to a military coup by General Pervez Musharraf. Other Major Military Conflicts And Operations Rann of Kutch Conflict (1965): Border clashes took place in the Kutch region of Gujarat in April 1965, lasting about one to two weeks. Operation Parakram (2001–2002): Following the Parliament attack on December 13, 2001, Indian and Pakistani forces remained in a tense standoff along the border for 10 months. Though a full-scale war was avoided, it marked one of the longest military deployments between the two nations. Uri Surgical Strike (2016): In response to the Uri terror attack on September 18, 2016, the Indian Army carried out surgical strikes across the LoC on the night of September 29–30. The operation lasted only a few hours. Balakot Air Strike (2019): After the Pulwama terror attack on February 14, 2019, the Indian Air Force launched an airstrike on February 26, 2019, hitting terror camps in Balakot. The strike lasted only a few minutes. The recent four-day conflict was triggered by an attack by Pakistan-backed terrorists on Indian tourists in J&'s Pahalgam on April 22, killing 26 people. Two weeks later, India launched Operation Sindoor and bombed terror bases in Pakistan and PoK. Pakistan responded by unsuccessfully targeting Indian military installation in Jammu and Punjab, followed by missile and drone strikes on civilian areas. India successfully intercepted and fended off the attacks, retaliating by inflicting heavy losses on Pakistan military establishments. Intense shelling on the LoC continued until the ceasefire at 5 pm on May 10. First Published: May 12, 2025, 12:25 IST
