ISLAMABAD: The matter of long overdue payment of compensation to landholders in different sectors has been referred to National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior by National Assembly here on Monday.

During NA session, ruling party’s MNA from Islamabad Anjum Aqeel Khan on Monday moved a calling attention notice “to invite attention of the minster for interior to a matter of urgent public importance regarding delay in payment to people whose land has been acquired by the CDA in sectors E-12, C-13, C-14, C-15, C-16 and H-16 Islamabad, causing grave concerns among the public.”

On behalf of interior ministry, federal minster for law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar acknowledged delay to some extent in release of payment and other benefits to landholders.

Law minster also shared the details of all the sectors stating that in many cases, the payment has been released, but still a large number of people were waiting for compensation.

Law minster acknowledged that speed is slow for releasing payment to landholders the department concerned (Capital Development Authority).

He, however, assured that people would be given their due right at all cost.

Taking part in the debate, the mover of calling attention notice and another MNA Malik Abrar Ahmed Khan pleaded that the affected people should be paid in accordance with market rate and this matter should be referred to National Assembly Standing Committee for further discussion.

Both the MNAs, Anjum Aqeel and Malik Abrar, said that delay in payment and other benefits to the affected people is the CDA fault, therefore, people should be paid in accordance with current market rate.

Later on, law minister requested the NA speaker that this matter should be referred to NA Standing Committee on Interior, which is headed by MNA from Islamabad NNA Raja Khurram Nawaz, who had better understanding of issues of Islamabad, he said.

To this, Speaker NA Sardar Ayaz Sadiq referred this matter to NA Standing Committee on interior.

Sector E-12 was launched by CDA in 1989, but still development of this sector could not be completed due to land possession issues, because of dispute between CDA and local landlords.

Sectors C-13,C-14, C-15, C-16 and H-16 were acquired by CDA in 2008 on land sharing basis, but CDA is yet to clear compensation cases. Recently, CDA called applications from locals of sector C-15, D-13, E-13 and F-13 to clear their built up property cases. However, it is yet to be seen when CDA will clear their cases.

According to land sharing formula, the locals are supposed to get one kanal developed plot against their four kanal land. While, locals are also supposed to get five kanal plot against their houses in term of built of property.

When contacted, an officer of CDA said that soon the civic agency will clear all pending BuP cases of sector C-15 and other sectors.

“Our teams have started working and soon, pending BuP cases of these sectors would be cleared,” he said.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2025