Islamabad ( Ehsan Bukhari-Special Reporter) –
A powerful tehsildar, Nadeem Barth, allegedly involved in illegal plot transfers meant for Kashmiri refugees in Jhelum, has been found to be a close relative of both a federal and a provincial minister. According to sources, officials of the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs were also allegedly complicit in this scheme involving unauthorized allotments and tampering with official records.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has obtained arrest warrants for Nadeem Barth and has launched raids to apprehend him. He reportedly took refuge in the house of a Punjab provincial minister to evade arrest.
During the course of the investigation into FIA’s anti-corruption case number 17, it was revealed that registry deeds for these plots were carried out by Sub-Registrar Nadeem Barth, who has close ties to government ministers. Three officers from the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan were already arrested by FIA’s Anti-Corruption Circle Islamabad.
The arrested individuals disclosed that revenue officials from Punjab, including the then-Tehsildar of Jhelum, Nadeem Barth, played a key role in the illegal registration of the plots. Despite the plots in Rathiyan Colony, Jhelum being originally allotted solely for Kashmiri refugees under the Ministry of Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan Affairs, no federal government approval was obtained for transferring or registering these plots.
Illegal registrations were carried out through the office of the Sub-Registrar in Dina, Jhelum, in favor of non-Kashmiri individuals. All actions were executed through unlawful registration of transfer deeds.
Following the inquiry, a formal case was registered against officials including Assistant Administrative Officer-2 Nasir Hayat, Assistant Administrative Officer-3 Maqsood Ahmed from the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs, and revenue officials from Jhelum—among them Nadeem Barth (Tehsildar at the time), and former Tehsildar Sheikh Jameel.
FIA arrested three ministry officials: Administrative Officer-2 Nasir Hayat, Administrative Officer-3 Maqsood Ahmed, and Assistant Accounts Officer Abdullah Khan. During interrogation, the suspects disclosed that the illegal registries were conducted by Sub-Registrar Nadeem Barth, whose close relationship with senior ministers has now become a focal point in the ongoing investigation.
FIA has initiated further action and is actively pursuing his arrest.
