Karachi’s prime real estate is under siege by a network of political heavyweights and corrupt officials. On Feb 25 last year, a fight near the US consulate over a three-acre plot exposed the struggle for control. Javed Iqbal, a co-owner, had employed Jibrail Khan, a local JUI-F leader, to oversee the site. Powerful forces tried to seize the land, leading to false FIRs against Jibrail for serious crimes. Despite acquittal, he faced detention. Similar fake cases were filed against co-owner Iqbal, who resisted surrendering his land and got help from the Sindh High Court. JUI-F's Rashid Mehmood Soomro condemned the land grabbers, calling them "big crocodiles" vying for Sindh's land, warning of unrest. This fight is just a hint of wider lawlessness in Sindh. Reports reveal Karachi is divided into zones controlled by trusted front men who manage land revenues with political backing. Among them, Ali Hassan Brohi stands out. Once a small-town aide, Brohi rose through political ties to become one of Sindh’s most influential figures, linked to billions in illegal land grabs. In 2020, Brohi was publicly declared a notorious land grabber. An FIA report revealed multiple criminal FIRs against him, including bribery, murder, and terrorism charges. His family holds strong political influence, with his wife elected as a senator backed by the military-aligned Balochistan Awami Party. Complaints in late 2024 accused Brohi’s men of illegally encroaching 54 acres in Karachi’s Mauripur with armed force. Sources say authorities cannot make appointments in key Karachi districts without Brohi’s approval. Karachi’s housing market is flooded with dubious projects built on state-owned “na class” or unsurveyed land, often with fake No Objection Certificates (NOCs). Developers like MAA Construction & Builders and GFS Builders sell plots in areas where ownership records are unclear or invalid. Investigations show many such land sales involve forged documents and fake government approvals.Create tricks include swapping survey numbers or forging allotments. Corrupt officials like police SHO Ghulam Hussain Korai and revenue officer Aijazul Hassan Khan are accused of facilitating massive illegal land sales worth billions. Although transferred and investigated, many remain unpunished. Meanwhile, public housing schemes like Hawkesbay Scheme 42 remain undeveloped after decades, while illegal societies flourish. Legal bodies are compromised too. The only anti-encroachment tribunal often grants stays to land grabbers with forged evidence. Officials who try to resist face fabricated charges. The land revenue system’s digitization effort has failed to stop the rampant forgery and encroachment. Bureaucracy has deteriorated since 2007, with recruitment and promotions said to be bought and sold. The Sindh Public Service Commission faces accusations of corruption. Officials confess high bribes are required to get lucrative posts. Karachi's land violence has deep roots involving political parties, militants, and builders who used muscle and terror to seize land before. Supreme Court bans on land mutation had little effect in practice. Even when investigations reveal wrongdoing, powerful figures avoid prosecution. In July 2025, a former top revenue official apologized for earlier accusations against Brohi, likely under pressure. Shortly after, he was sidelined. Today, despite official claims of reform, land grabbing continues unabated. The powerful maintain control, and the poor and rightful owners lose their homes. Jibrail Khan, once jailed on multiple charges, is now free after political intervention. Karachi’s land story shows how political patronage, corruption, and illegal deals have hollowed governance and shattered public trust, leaving the city’s prime earth a playground for the mighty.