ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has linked the regularisation of E-11 apartments with the revision of master plan of Islamabad.

CDA Member Planning Dr Shahid Mahmood told National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior on Monday that CDA had sealed unauthorised buildings in E-11 and other areas following the court orders.

“The CDA representative informed the committee that 250 buildings were sealed in various areas as per the orders of Supreme Court and High Court. The CDA is working on the issue and as per the direction of the Court it is hiring a consultant for revision of master plan,” read a press release issued by National Assembly Secretariat. The National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior met at Parliament House under the chairmanship of MNA Raja Khurram Shahzad Nawaz.

The committee directed the CDA to furnish the Court orders along with complete report regarding E-11 and other sealed buildings within two days.

The civic agency sealed unauthorised buildings in E-11 and other areas following court orders

A large number of unauthorised high-rise buildings were constructed in sector E-11 without the approval of CDA and the civic authority has failed to take timely actions.

But when most of the buildings are constructed, the civic agency came into action a few years ago.

Meanwhile, many owners of the buildings sold out proposed apartments to citizens, who are now suffering as CDA after terming all buildings unauthorized got the further construction work stopped.

A CDA official said that action should also be taken against those officials of the civic agency who “kept their eyes closed and only issued notices” when construction was underway.

While discussing the alleged fraud by the Jammu & Kashmir Cooperative Society and submitting wrong answer on the floor of the House, the Secretary Society informed the committee that 54 plots were not in the revised layout plan, for which the previous Society is responsible and inquiry might be initiated against it. The Circle Registrar Cooperative Societies informed the committee that inquiry against the society was also underway.

The committee also discussed Federal Employees Cooperative Housing Society (FECHS) issue as a representative of society briefed the committee about the joint venture executed on 07-10-2011 between FECHS and National Assembly Employees Cooperative Housing Society (NAECHS).

The Committee directed FECHS to submit detail alongwith present status of land purchased by the NAECHS.

The committee also directed the ministry to investigate the matter and report to the committee accordingly.

Earlier, Deputy Chief Development, Ministry of Interior, briefed the committee regarding the budgetary proposals relating to Public Sector Development Project (PSDP) for the financial year 2020-21.

The committee was informed that the PSDP included 152 projects with 40 on-going and 112 new projects.

The PSDP for the financial year 2020-21 was approved unanimously by the Committee.

The committee recommended that the projects relating to development of rural area of Islamabad must be given priority.

The members of the committee also recommended that the project for shifting of Sindh Rangers headquarters from Jinnah Kot may be included in the PSDP to safeguard this national heritage.

MNAs Sher Akbar Khan, Mehar Ghulam Mohammad Lali, Malik Karamat Ali Khokhar, Sardar Talib Hassan Nakai, Nafeesa Khattak and others attended the meeting.

Published in Dawn, January 28th, 2020