ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and PPP on Friday staged separate protests against the Capital Development Authority’s (CDA) decision to not allow utility connections to new houses in rural areas of Islamabad if their building plans were not approved.

Both the opposition parties held their protests within a few metres of each other in front of the CDA’s headquarters. The PTI’s protest consisted of about 300 people led by MNA Asad Umar. The relatively smaller PPP rally was supervised by local PPP leader Faisal Sakhi Butt.

The CDA has recently requested the Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited and the Islamabad Electric Supply Company to not issue new connections without the civic agency’s approval, which will only be granted to property owners who have already acquired a no-objection certificate for their building plans.

The civic authority has asked SNGPL, Iesco not to provide connections to newly-constructed buildings unless their building plans are approved

Protestors of both parties raised slogans against Mayor Sheikh Anser Aziz and Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) Minister Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry. PTI MNA Asad Umar said the property mafia and CDA’s officials are behind the move.

“CDA and some other elements want to force citizens to vacate their inherited land by depriving locals of their basic right of getting utility connections. The move was made for making money,” he said.

Mr Umar said the mayor has failed in resolving the issues of residents of Islamabad and has only focused on hanging posters of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in Islamabad.

The MNA demanded that the mayor lifts the ban on utility connections. He criticised CADD minister Dr Chaudhry and said he had supported the CDA in acquiring land from locals.

“Whenever I have raised issues related to the residents of Islamabad on the floor of the house, such as the deduction of 5pc from the salaries of government employees for the renovation of their houses, the acquisition of land from locals and others, I met with resistance from PML-N members,” he said and claimed that when the PTI comes to power, it will provide utility connections to all the residents of Islamabad.

Another PTI leader, Khurram Nawaz said the CDA has misinterpreted a Supreme Court order and extended it to all of Islamabad when it was only meant to ban utility connections in Banigala and adjoining areas.

The PTI leaders demanded that CDA pay locals and that those whose lands have been acquired be allotted alternate plots. PPP leaders Faisal Sakhi Butt and Shahzada Iftikhar also criticised the CDA for its decision and demanded that the ban be lifted.

“Today, we are protesting in front of the CDA’s gates. The next time, we will stage a protest at the mayor’s office,” Mr Butt said.

Published in Dawn, September 16th, 2017