ISLAMABAD: After a hiatus of seven years, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has started the development work in Sector C-15 on a “priority basis”.

Last year, the civic body started work to develop the sector but it was halted within a few days. Now the CDA management wants to develop the sector on a priority basis.

“The development work has resumed after seven years. Every effort will be employed to develop the sector and grant land to allottees at the earliest,” CDA Chairman Noorul Amin Mengal tweeted on Tuesday.

The CDA acquired the sector in 2008 on the basis of a land-sharing formula under which the locals were given developed plots of one kanal against a four-kanal plot.

Oversight committee formed to scrutinise balloting cases, verification of land record

The CDA allotted plots against the land, but hitherto no allotment letters have been issued.

At least 504 persons were declared eligible for the built-up property award announced in 2016. Of them, 167 were placed on the A-list after they provided the requisite information while 337 people were placed on the B-list. “Claimants in the B-list will be placed in the first list after they provide the requisite information,” as per the CDA officials.

Meanwhile, a small portion of land, Dhoke Ashraf, in this sector is still not acquired. Sources said before the CDA could announce the BuP award for this locality, there was a need to use satellite imagery to discourage bogus entries in light of the CDA’s dubious history with respect to the BuP awards.

Oversight Committee

Recently, the CDA chairman formed an oversight committee over the balloting of plots for estate affectees in Sector C-15. The committee comprised Member Inspection Riaz Ahmed Javed and DDG Building Control Shahbaz Naqvi, Director Discipline Anbar Gillani, and Deputy Director Revenue Abdul Razzak Khakwani.

It is mandated to scrutinise balloting cases for Sector C-15, examine criteria established for scrutiny of the cases, examine the genuineness of the reports, cross-verification of relevant land records available with the CDA and ICT, examine objections, and undertake actions to ensure transparency.

“The committee is also tasked to ensure that the prospective allottee has/had handed over the encumbrance-free possession of his/her land to CDA. The committee shall also take record of the last ballot of Sector C-15 to determine whether the allottees had handed over/paid their liabilities to the CDA.”

According to the notification, the committee shall furnish its report within three weeks. The balloting of plots cannot be undertaken until the committee furnishes a certificate that the process was transparent and that the allottees were genuine affectees as per the relevant record.

Published in Dawn, March 30th, 2023