ISLAMABAD, May 4: The interior ministry has decided to remove spacious parking areas outside five-star hotels in Islamabad.

Interior Minister Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat told Dawn on Sunday that the parking lots had been established illegally due to influence of the hotel owners.

“I have issued directives to the CDA to remove the vast parking areas established on the state land,” he said.

The parking areas, he said, would be vacated under an anti- encroachment operation and no influence and pressure would be tolerated.

An official of the CDA said that the parking areas had been established without any approval of the authority, and due to influence of hotel owners the CDA could not take any action against encroachment on the state land.

He confirmed that the authority had received orders from the interior ministry for removing of parking areas outside big hotels.