27 January 2004	Tuesday	04 Zilhaj 1424

ISLAMABAD, Jan 26: The federal cabinet is likely to allow Capital Development Authority (CDA) to give double benefit to those landholders on whose land sector D-12 and G-13 are being developed, a source in the CDA told Dawn.

The source said the CDA had sought the federal cabinet's help to resolve the controversial issue, which is creating hurdles in the development of the two sectors.

He said the Authority itself could not provide double benefit to the villagers without the approval of federal cabinet. He said the development of sector D-12 was in doldrums, as the villagers of Sri Saral and Pind Sangrial where the sector was being developed had demanded double benefit for their land, which was acquired by the CDA.

The development of sector D-12 was started about one and a half years ago but after a week a clash between the villagers and the CDA officials, which claimed the life of two villagers on July 29, 2002. The villagers wanted to get present price of the land while the CDA was of the view that the villages were acquired in 1985, therefore, the then price of the land had been given to them.

The D-12 tragedy is stated to be the second incident of its kind after Bani Gala clash in which some five people were killed some years back. Talking to Dawn some villagers of Sri Saral and Pind Sangrial said the CDA had executed the project without settling the issue of land acquisition. They said the two villages had some 2,000 houses, which have to be removed by the CDA.

The foundation stone laying ceremony of sector D-12 was held on July 16, 2002 by former interior minister Moinuddin Haider. However, at that time villagers had refused to vacate the land demanding alternate land in the same D-12.

Some of the villagers have been given alternate land in sector I-14. However majority of them were still waiting for the compensation, a leader of Sri Saral residents, Malik Abdul Rehman, told Dawn.