ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) on Tuesday claimed that action will be taken against encroachments made by Islamabad Club and Gun and Country Club.

It said the recent anti-encroachment operation in Bari Imam and Saidpur was conducted to retrieve state land.

During a media briefing at the CDA headquarters, Deputy Director General Enforcement Dr Anam Fatima said that recent operation in Bari Imam area were not conducted in haste, rather people were given ample time to vacate state land.

To a query, she said: “As far as alleged encroachment made by Islamabad Club and Gun and Country Club, we will take action against them too in accordance with rules and regulations.

“A committee has already been formed to look into issues of Islamabad Club while Building Control Directorate has issued notices to Gun and Country Club,” Dr Anam said, adding, “We conduct operations across the board.”

It is relevant to note here that the CDA record says its 51 kanals is under alleged illegal occupation of Islamabad Club while Gun and Country Club, which operating on 250 kanals,l has no lease/allotment documents.

Construction work has also been carried out on Gun Club premises without getting any approval from CDA.

Islamabad Club in its reply to Dawn stated that it had been in touch with CDA to resolve the issue of land, stating that no structure was built on land in question rather that was being used for parking etc.

While the Gun Club’s management stated that they had written several letters to CDA to resolve the land-related issues.

Taking about Bari Imam, the CDA deputy DG enforcement said that in the 60s the civic agency had acquired 1,234 kanals from locals and against this land and all affected people had been allotted 4,900 kanals cultivatable land in Punjab.

“They had already received all benefits from CDA. Besides cultivable land in Punjab, they were paid in cash for structures. There is no ongoing dispute in court, so how anyone can say that we did something wrong while removing these structures,” she said.

“People continued to occupy and extend their own houses plus they built shanty town which they rented out to poor and used poor as their front. Our work is uniform across the board. No one was given preferential treatment,” she said. When asked about a big dara/house over kanals of land besides a large number of shops spared, Dr Anam said: “we will retrieve land from entire area.”

Meanwhile, Dr Anam said that like Bari Imam, in the 60s all affected of Saidpur village got due benefits in shape of cultivable land and cash.

She said that in the name of one affected person, who in fact got due benefit in 60s, his offsprings constructed large numbers of houses including big mansions and bungalows and in some cases, members of one family constructed up to 17 houses.

Asked if Saidpur was totally acquired and people had been living without any legal status why CDA in the past spent huge funds to make it a model village and why the CDA last year got heavy renovation work done by a team from Azerbaijan, she said: “During operation we focused on construction made at outer side. As far as old village is concerned, CDA will take it over, we will not demolish the area where renovation work was carried out last year.”

Dr Anam, who also serving as Chief Officer of Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI), said that cases of slums should not be linked with Bari Imam and Saidpur.

“Both are separate issues, one is related to Katchi Abadis and the other is related to massive construction on CDA’s acquired land,” she said.

“All claims of Bari Imam and Saidpur were invited, verified, and adjudicated through DC CDA, Land & Rehabilitation, Accounts, and Revenue authorities. Valid claims were settled, while unsupported claims were rejected. Accordingly, acquisition stands complete and no lawful claim remains,” she said and added that CDA also got FIR registered against the rent seekers and CDA officials who were involved in the construction.

Published in Dawn, April 22nd, 2026