ISLAMABAD: After years, it has transpired that Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) did not actually own the piece of land it has been complaining of not being handed over to it by the Capital Development Authority (CDA).

A significant portion of QAU’s land is already under illegal occupation of land grabbers. The CDA now claims that the QAU was allotted 1,445 acres, not 1,709 acres as claimed by the university.

CDA documents available with Dawn showed that the QAU currently posses 1,557 acres which is 112 acres more than mentioned in its allotment letter.

Over 300 acres worth about Rs24 billion of QAU is under the occupation of land grabbers.

Sources in the QAU said according to coordinates and a report prepared by the Survey of Pakistan last year the existing houses around the QAU were located on the university land.

With the new development, it seems CDA’s 112 acres also fall in the limits of the QAU.

The sources said currently the QAU and the CDA were jointly working on the demarcation of the land. During the inspection of old records of the university, it transpired that the QAU was issued an allotment letter for 1,445 acres, not 1,709 acres as claimed by the QAU. However, CDA sources said QAU was allotted land in 1967 but it did not make the full payment until 1991.

“They paid against 1,445 acres and we issued an allotment letter for 1,445 acres,” said an officer of the CDA. In 1991, the QAU deposited more money for getting the remaining 112 acres but the CDA did not decide on that amount which is still lying in the authority’s accounts. “We never issued any allotment letter for 1,709 acres. If the QAU has any allotment letter for 1,709 acres, it should share it with us,” said the CDA officer.

When contacted, Member Planning Asad Mehboob Kayani said the record showed that in the 60s the CDA had issued an allotment letter for 1,445 acres to the QAU.

“CDA is fully coordinating with the QAU for the demarcation of land so the university with the help of the CDA and police could get its land cleared from land grabbers,” he said.

QAU Vice Chancellor Dr Javed Ashraf said as per his knowledge the university had been allotted 1,709 acres after it made payment for it.

“I don’t think we were issued an allotment letter for 1,445 acres. I will check from the concerned directorate.” He said being the head of the university he had taken up the issue of encroachment on the QAU land at almost every important forum.

“The Survey of Pakistan’s report also supported our view that existing houses around the university are located on the university land,” he said.

On January 31 this year, the National Assembly Standing Committee on Education set a 45-day deadline for the CDA to demarcate the entire land of the university.

According to the committee, the VC had said the university administration was helpless against influential land grabbers and encroachers.

Published in Dawn, February 24th, 2018