ISLAMABAD: In a bid to prevent its land from getting encroached, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has decided to digitise the land in its possession.

The CDA, which has acquired thousands of acres, has not been able to utilise a large chunk of the land so far. According to sources, some of the land was even in adverse possession.

Last week, the CDA’s newly-created Geo Spatial Technology Wing, through a letter, had asked the land directorate for record of the acquired land.

In the letter, the new wing asked the directorate to share details of the land where no scheme had been planned.

“Massavis, Latha (cadastral map on cloth) preferably scanned images of mouzas falling, touching and crossing the areas – C-13, C-15, C-16 and Chauntra, G.T. Road from EME College to Nicholson’s Monument, IJP road from Faizabad to G.T. road, Park Road from Park Enclave to Tramri,” the letter read.

Large portion of acquired land remains un-utilised; some in adverse possession

It further said the Geo Spatial Technology Wing had been established in the planning wing and in order to execute the project, one of its important sections was related to the revenue record digitisation. Therefore, in order to achieve the desired goal, the land directorate had been requested to provide the said record, the letter added.

Sources said the CDA from the 1960s till date had acquired thousands of acres but a large area was still lying un-utilised.

They said a few years ago, the then director land, Shafi Marwat, compiled record of the acquired land, which was spread in an area of 306km - calculated at 75,614 acres.

On this acquired land, the CDA had developed around 25 residential sectors but still a significant part was lying abandoned in various areas, including Kuri, Bari Imam, Malpur, Shah Allah Ditta area, land along Karnal Sher Khan Road and G.T. Road.

The CDA which was established in the 1960s, does not have a digitised record – a loophole which in the past benefited land grabbers. It also does not have any digitised record of the compensation extended to the land-affected people (those whose land had been acquired by CDA and were entitled to developed plots).

Sources said due to vague record keeping by the CDA’s land directorate, cases of fraudulent and double allotments of plots to the affected people often made headlines.

The directorate, in many cases, had allotted hundreds of plots and farm houses to people against the land which had been acquired in the 1960s and even in some cases against the land of Kashmiri refugees, who were allotted land in this region decades ago.

“Besides other issues, manual record keeping of the acquired land and benefit extended to the affected people was one of the major factors behind fraudulent allotments,” a CDA officer said, adding that he appreciated the steps taken by Geo Spatial Technology Wing for digitisation.

“I do not know if this wing will succeed in digitising all land record or not. In the past too, such announcements were made, but let’s hope for a positive outcome,” the officer added.

Published in Dawn, December 16th, 2023