ISLAMABAD: The city managers have at last decided that there will be no construction activity in Zone III - Margalla Hills National Park.

Sources said the local administration had also stopped the transfer and mutation of land in the area.

They said following the recent Supreme Court directions the Islamabad capital territory (ICT) administration stopped transfer of un-acquired land in the area but sought answers to some questions from the CDA before imposing a ban on the transfer of private land in the zone.

“Construction in Zone–III is completely proscribed under CDA Zoning Regulation 1992 so that greenery and foliage area of this zone could be protected,” said Mayor Sheikh Anser Aziz, who is also the acting chairman of the CDA.

Following Supreme Court directions, local admin stops transfer of land but seeks some clarifications from CDA before imposing a ban

The CDA started taking some steps to protect the national park only after being censured by Supreme Court.

“It has also been observed that some developers are not only involved in sale/purchase of land in the zone but also engaged in illegal construction in violation of the CDA Zoning Regulations 1992,” a press release quoted the mayor as saying on Sunday.

It said the CDA had already initiated action against individuals and developers involved in such illegal activities besides taking measures as per the directions of the apex court to restrict illegal sale and purchase of land and construction in Zone-III.

The press release said the citizens had been advised not to invest in Zone-III, comprising Margalla Hills National Park (as notified in section 21 of Islamabad Wildlife, Protection, Preservation, Conservation and Management Ordinance 1979), and other protected ranges, forests, Margalla Hills and non-acquired land situated between the northern side of Murree Road and other areas such as Shah Allah Ditta, Chontra, Lakhwal, Banigala, Saidpur, Malpur, Bhara Kahu, Kot Hathial and Sangjani.

The mayor said in order to reserve the green character of the zone and protect the environment the citizens in their own interest had been warned against any sale and purchase in any housing scheme or land in Zone-III.

Like the CDA, the ICT administration is also taking steps following the directives of the Supreme Court and on Monday a joint meeting of the CDA and ICT officers was held with Chief Commissioner Zulfiqar Haider in the chair.

According to minutes of the meeting, the chief commissioner was briefed about the mutation and sale/purchase of un-acquired land in Zone III.

It was decided that the CDA would write to the chief commissioner to use the powers of the Board of Revenue for banning transfer and mutation of land in the area.

“Unofficially, we have put a ban but we are still waiting for CDA’s written request and answers to some questions. We asked them for imposing an official ban on the transfer of land in Zone III,” said an officer of the capital administration, who requested not to be named.

The sources said the local administration had also asked the CDA to inform it under which law the civic agency had developed Rawal Town, Shahzad Town and Margalla Town in Zone III.

When contacted, Member Planning Asad Mehboob Kayani told Dawn that the CDA had already requested the capital administration to ban the transfer of land in Zone III.

“We have already written to the ICT in March this year and the Supreme Court has passed directions in this regard. As far as the last meeting is concerned, we will provide them the requisite information,” he said.

Published in Dawn, November 13th, 2017