January 09, 2007	Tuesday	Zilhaj 18, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, Jan 8: The governments of Punjab and the NWFP have agreed “in principle” to cede some of their territory for the expansion of the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), Dawn learnt on Monday.

An official of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) said the two provincial governments had assured the federal government of their cooperation whenever the matter was referred to them formally.

The CDA will seek approval of its proposal on extending the limits of the federal capital when it presents a Revised Master Plan for Islamabad to Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Wednesday, the official said.

Some areas of Haripur, Murree, Fatehjang and Rawalpindi are proposed to be included in the capital territory with a view “to avoid ill-planned construction activities around Islamabad”.

An inter-ministerial committee of the federal cabinet has already approved the Revised Master Plan. Its members included Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao, elected from the NWFP, Labour Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan and Railway Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, both elected from Punjab, and Housing Minister Syed Safwanullah elected from Sindh.

After the prime minister and the governments of Punjab and the NWFP also give their assent, the proposal will have to be passed by the two provincial assemblies with two-third majority.

The original 1960 Master Plan of Islamabad has been revised with the help of local firm Mart McDonalds Pakistan to meet the requirements of the capital until the year 2030.

It suggests regularising the ill-planned construction done so far in the city’s Zone-III and IV, which include Barakahu and Banigala areas but allowing no further construction there.

Boundaries of Zones III, IV and V would be defined to prevent people from expanding the Simly, Barakahu, Banigala and Chak Shahzad settlements.

But the Revised Master Plan suggests allowing the expansion of the Diplomatic Enclave, the most sensitive area of the capital housing over 35 embassies, towards Bari Imam to accommodate all other embassies established in residential area of Islamabad.

A huge park has also been proposed on the entire E-14 sector on the pattern of Fatima Jinnah Park for better environment and recreational activities in the capital.

A mass transit plan has also been proposed for the expanding federal capital. The rail track now passing through many sectors in Zone-II is proposed to be re-located away from the sectors.

Other major amendments in the Master Plan call for building an education city in Sector H-16, an engineering university in Zone-IV, new roads in Zone-IV, an IT Park in Sector I-12 and, think of it - a central jail in Islamabad.