ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority’s (CDA) recent anti-encroachment drive received mixed reviews from a parliamentary panel on Monday. Lawmakers said encroachments cannot take place in the capital city without the connivance of the authority’s own officials.

Meeting in Parliament Lodges with Senator Rehman Malik in the chair, the Senate Standing Committee on Interior discussed the encroachment issue at length.

The committee said there are complaints that the CDA demolishes people’s properties without issuing prior notice. The committee chairman said there are also complaints that the civic agency approved a petrol station building and demolished it later without prior notice.

In 2016, the CDA had given permission for a double storey petrol pump on the Kashmir Highway and an outlet of an international food chain was set up on the second storey.

However, the building was demolished in the recent drive, with the civic agency saying the permission was unauthorised and was granted by lower staff.

Encroachments cannot take place without connivance of authority’s own officials, lawmakers say

Committee members asked why the approval had been granted in the first place when a double storey building is not allowed.

Committee Member Senator Mian Mohammad Ateeq Sheikh criticised the CDA for letting the mushroom growth of illegal constructions in the capital city.

Briefing the committee, CDA Member Estate Khushal Khan conceded that permission for the double storey building was approved.

However, he said, the permission was withdrawn before the structure was demolished.

He maintained that the CDA had issued prior notices before demolishing illegal buildings and pleaded twice with the committee to appreciate the civic agency’s “successful” operation.

However, the majority of the committee members did not extend their appreciation, saying that the CDA officers who helped in the mushroom growth of illegal construction be pointed out.

Senator Javed Abbasi said that no one can even construct a servants’ quarter without the knowledge of the CDA and that it is the authority’s responsibility to stop illegal construction in its initial stages.

He said massive unauthorised construction has taken place in E-11 and H-13 the last five years which the CDA did not stop on time.

However, Senator Chaudhry Tanveer Khan appreciated the CDA for its current drive against encroachments. However, he said the double storey building of the petrol station in question was the CDA’s fault, not the owners.

He said the owner should be compensated and that the compensation money should be collected from the CDA officials who had granted permission.

Senator Rehman Malik said CDA officials had allowed the unauthorised construction of shops, plazas, houses and outlets.

He said strict action must be taken against officials who had issued illegal no-objection certificates and permission for people to run businesses and build homes on government property.

The committee decided to hold a public hearing next month to hear the grievances of the people as it has been receiving complaints from people affected by the anti-encroachment drive and those who say they were not given prior notice.

The committee also sought details of the CDA officials who were posted in the estate and enforcement wings the last 15 years as they had failed in curbing encroachments on state land. Action will be taken against all officers responsible, the committee said.

The committee decided to get a briefing from Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) officials when it was told that the rural areas were under the ICT administration before the formation of the local government.

Senator Malik directed the CDA to submit a comprehensive report for the next meeting on the action taken against encroachments and other violations in ICT, details of the people affected and the people who influenced such policies.

He hinted that the Federal Investigation Agency will take action against those found responsible.

He said he appreciates CDA’s ant-encroachment drives but also holds it responsible for not taking action in the initial stages.

Demolition of katchi abadis

The committee recommended that the CDA not demolish katchi abadis till the state provides them proper shelter.

Senator Tanveer said the CDA should construct apartments in katchi abadis to accommodate existing slum dwellers and other low-income families.

The committee directed CDA to not take action against the poor and to direct its attention towards influential people.

Published in Dawn, November 27th, 2018