ISLAMABAD: Chairman Capital Development Authority (CDA) Maroof Afzal on Monday assured the National Assembly standing committee on government assurances that land for the development of Sector E-12 would be acquired within three months.

The CDA announced Sector E-12 in 1985, but even after almost three decades has failed to take possession of the land. The residents of the sector were told by CDA that they would get plots in Sector I-12 in lieu of their land in E-12. However, the deal could not materialised. So, a number of affected people refused to vacate their land.

Moreover, the officials of the CDA tried to include fake affected people in the process and also allowed the locals to construct buildings and boundary walls to get the built-up-property (BUP) compensation. Those who do not even own the land are also allowed to get the BUP compensation.

During verification in 2007, out of 1,935 affected people 1,054 were found fake. As a result, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) began an investigation into the scandal.

Civic agency has been unable to take possession of land even after three decades

During the meeting of the NA committee, the chairman CDA admitted that there had been not progress on the development of the sector for 30 years. However, he claimed that he had expedited the process and the land would be acquired within three months.

“In fact, in July 2013, the contract for the development of the sector was also awarded, but the work could not start because the CDA did not have possession of the land,” he said.

“Now we are considering giving same compensation to the affected people of Sector E-12 which was given to those in D-12. During the last few weeks, 600 kanals of land has been acquired and it is under consideration to sign a new contract because it is not feasible for the contractor to carry out the development on old rates,” he added.

Mr Afzal said that the land would be fenced and regularly patrolled to avoid future encroachments. A camp office is also being established in the E-12 sector.

Senator Malik Ibrar, who was also affected by the project, offered his services for the acquisition of the land and said: “Affectees are ready to hand over their land but the CDA officials deliberately delay their cases to get bribes.”

He said people left their houses and graveyards but they did not get anything. “The CDA told them to get payment on installments. On the other hand, a business tycoon got billions of rupees for the land of Sectors I-17 and H-16, at the rate of Rs830,000 per kanal,” he said.

“CDA has failed to remove encroachments. Kashmir Highway is yet to be completed, but encroachments along the road have already begun. So far, as many as six persons with suicide jackets have been arrested from G-12,” he claimed.

Shafqat Mehmood of the PTI said a number of corruption cases in CDA had been taken up by the Public Accounts Committee.

Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Sheikh Aftab Ahmed, however, claimed that the performance of CDA was improving.

Published in Dawn, July 8th, 2014