ISLAMABAD: The Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) on Thursday directed the CDA to prepare a presentation for the new government on unauthorised constructions in Zone III, including Banigala, and important projects of the civic agency.

Sources told Dawn that CADD Secretary Saqib Aziz chaired a meeting and discussed unauthorised construction in Banigala and Zone III on Thursday. He was briefed about ongoing and pending projects in the capital.

CDA Chairman Ishrat Ali, Member Planning Ehsanul Haq and other officials briefed the secretary about the unauthorised constructions and presented proposals to regulate them.

However, the sources said, the secretary directed the CDA officials to prepare a comprehensive presentation on the constructions that had already taken place in Zone III, including Banigala, for the new government.

Secretary CADD asks CDA to also prepare presentation about important projects in capital

The meeting was told that the previous government had intended to regularise the constructions in Zone III, including Banigala. Subsequently, former minister for CADD Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry placed a summary before the federal cabinet headed by Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. However, the cabinet turned down the summary.

Later, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) barred the CDA from regularising any structure. The IHC ordered that a commission of experts be constituted by the federal government to review the master plan of Islamabad.

The proposed commission will come up with recommendations for changes to the master plan which will be placed before the upcoming cabinet for its consideration. Until the completion of this exercise, the court ordered that no building constructed in violation of the CDA bylaws should be regularised in the entire Islamabad.

Sources in the CDA said that last month the civic agency wrote to CADD for the formation of the commission but it seemed CADD was waiting for the formation of the new government.

Last year, on the request of PTI Chairman Imran Khan, the Supreme Court had taken a suo motu notice of unregulated buildings in Banigala. After the intervention of the apex court, the issue of unauthorised constructions came to the limelight.

The sources said lack of coordination between state organisations had resulted in the proliferation of unauthorised constructions in Banigala, and that the problem the CDA was facing in launching housing schemes in future sectors was causing a lack of affordable housing for the citizens.

When contacted, CADD Secretary Saqib Aziz said he was briefed by the CDA about unauthorised constructions in Zone III, including Banigala, and important projects and initiatives of the CDA.

He said it was a routine practice to give a briefing to the new government about various projects and issues of ministries.

“I have been chairing meetings of all subordinate organisations of CADD such as CDA, Federal Directorate of Education (FDE), Pims and Polyclinic etc. Today, I directed the CDA chairman to prepare a presentation on the CDA for the new government.”

About the formation of the commission to review Islamabad’s master plan, Mr Aziz said CADD had started working on it.

Published in Dawn, August 17th, 2018