Citizens suffer due to city managers’ apathy to new societies

Published August 24, 2016
A billboard of a housing society displayed at Koral Chowk. — Photo by Khurram Amin
A billboard of a housing society displayed at Koral Chowk. — Photo by Khurram Amin

ISLAMABAD: Usman Khan’s dream of owning a house came true last year. But soon after purchasing the house for Rs7 million, the city managers informed him that he was living in an illegal housing society - Ghauri Town.

“When I purchased the house, everything was fine, as there were already networks of Sui gas and electricity.” But all of a sudden, he added, the CDA swung into action and directed the utility companies not to provide connections to the residents of the ‘illegal’ housing society.

“If this was an illegal housing society, why the CDA did not stop the construction work at the initial stage,” said Mohammad Asghar, who also lives in the same town.


CDA’s directions to utility firms to refuse new connections to illegal housing societies inconveniences residents


When contacted, Minister of State for Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD), Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, agreed that there was no fault of the residents of the housing societies who paid millions of rupees against the plots and were now being denied the utility services.

“The illegal societies should have been stopped in the beginning. It is injustice with the residents as they are now not being provided electricity and gas connections.”

He said a separate building control section was being set up and the authority was mulling to give one-time relaxation to the societies whose violations could be addressed by their managements.

“We have to protect the rights of the citizens,” he said.

There are two types of housing schemes operating in Islamabad: housing schemes/societies and the cooperative schemes. The CDA is dealing with the housing schemes while the Islamabad capital territory (ICT) administration is handling matters related to the cooperating societies. But so far both the organisations have failed to take action against those who cheated the legal plot buyers.

Tahir Malik, a university teacher, who built a house in Sector E-11, had his own story to tell.

“Before purchasing the plot, I was told that there would be playgrounds, graveyards, schools and parks but now no such facility exists there as the housing societies have eaten up all the amenity spaces,” he said.

Currently, 105 illegal housing societies are operating in Islamabad, where thousands of people have purchased plots and constructed their houses.

Sources in the CDA told Dawn that operators of the housing societies in connivance with the officials of the planning wing, in many cases, first got the layout plans approved and when people purchased the plots the civic agency cancelled the layout plans. The cooperative housing societies, in connivance with the officials of the ICT and CDA, also sold out lands reserved for parks, schools, mosques and even graveyards. But the city managers never took action against those involved in the scams.

According to documents, the CDA and the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) jointly conducted a survey and found eight illegal housing societies in Zone IV in January this year.

The CDA documents showed that there were 16 illegal housing societies in Zone II, III and Sector E-11. In Zone IV, there were 60 illegal housing societies while 29 illegal housing societies were operating in Zone V. Interestingly, the Senate Cooperative Housing Society recently also launched another project, “Senate Avenue” in Zone V, selling plots without having any layout plan or NOC.

However, the president of the Senate Employees Cooperative Housing Society, Dildar Fani, told Dawn that they had an approved layout plan for 679 kanals. “Out of the total land, we have allotted 569 plots.”

He said they had purchased another 414 kanals and the formalities were being completed for the project.

When contacted, Registrar Housing Scheme, Mohammad Ali, said he had taken notice of an advertisement on behalf of the Senate Avenue. “I have summoned the management of the scheme to explain its position on Wednesday,” he said.

Speaking to Dawn, an official blamed the ICT administration for the mushroom growth of illegal housing schemes. He said the ICT registry office had made transfer deeds regardless of the status of the housing schemes. However, his claim was contested by the registrar who said the ICT administration cannot bar any citizen from transferring their land.

Member Planning CDA Waseem Ahmed Khan said since he took over not a single NOC had been issued to any housing scheme. He said following the directives of the Senate, the CDA had decided to implement reports prepared by a Senate committee.

In May this year, the Senate adopted two reports prepared by its standing committee on law and justice to resolve the issue of illegal housing societies. The reports blamed the CDA and the ICT administration for the mushroom growth of illegal housing schemes.

Published in Dawn, August 24th, 2016

Opinion

Editorial

Afghan turbulence
Updated 19 Mar, 2024

Afghan turbulence

RELATIONS between the newly formed government and Afghanistan’s de facto Taliban rulers have begun on an...
In disarray
19 Mar, 2024

In disarray

IT is clear that there is some bad blood within the PTI’s ranks. Ever since the PTI lost a key battle over ...
Festering wound
19 Mar, 2024

Festering wound

PROTESTS unfolded once more in Gwadar, this time against the alleged enforced disappearances of two young men, who...
Defining extremism
Updated 18 Mar, 2024

Defining extremism

Redefining extremism may well be the first step to clamping down on advocacy for Palestine.
Climate in focus
18 Mar, 2024

Climate in focus

IN a welcome order by the Supreme Court, the new government has been tasked with providing a report on actions taken...
Growing rabies concern
18 Mar, 2024

Growing rabies concern

DOG-BITE is an old problem in Pakistan. Amid a surfeit of public health challenges, rabies now seems poised to ...