ISLAMABAD, Dec 11: The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has lost its valuable land in the vicinity of airports due to poor governance and lack of interest in recovering it, Dawn has learnt.

A senior federal official, on condition of anonymity, said the authority has almost lost 250 kanals in and around the Benazir Bhutto International Airport (BBIA), also known as Islamabad airport.

The authority has also failed to take possession of several acres land at the site of new Islamabad airport. As the BBIA has become the most congested airport in the country because of VVIPs movement, the government is planning a new airport near Fateh Jang. But the project is moving at a snail's pace because of financial constrains.

In the meantime Islamabad airport could have provided better services if the CAA's management was able to recover its lost land, said the official.

“Hundreds of acres land near Karachi airport has already been converted into Bhatai Colony. Prime land near Walton Road in Lahore and Rahim Yar Khan and Gawadar airports has been encroached. But the CAA's management is silent,” said the official.

The official pointed out that the authority's legal department has won cases in lower and upper courts and despite a clear position the CAA's management could not take possession of land. “The CAA has spent over Rs30 million on land recovery and possession cases. Several cases are still pending in courts,” he said.

“We have the cover of the Federal Government Land Possession LIV 1965 Ordinance but still provincial and federal police authorities were reluctant to help CAA for smooth possession of land,” the official lamented. The authority, he said, could not plan a strategy for possessing its land at international airports in the country.

The official said the CAA had lost several kanals to encroachers opposite the Islamabad airport runway. The CAA and Pakistan Air Force (PAF) are joint users of the airport.

“It's either political pressure or the red tape in CAA which is stopping the management from taking possession of encroached land,” he observed.

According to the land possession ordinance's section 5(I): “If any person refuses or fails to vacate any land or building as directed by an order….enter upon such land or building and recover possession of the same by evicting such person and may also demolish and remove the structure, if any, erected or built by that person.” According to the clause, an officer authorised by the federal government “may use” force for recovering land or a building.

The official said the CAA management despite having powers failed to set up an enforcement wing.

With CAA Director General Nadeem Yusafzai not willing to respond to phone queries, the authority's spokesman, Parvez George, said: “I am not aware about exact figure of land under illegal possession.” He added that CAA has taken possession of land in cases it won against encroachers. About Bhatai Colony in Karachi, he said the matter was in court.

The spokesman said the CAA's management cared about all its assets. “We are aware CAA's land is an important asset and our management is very serious about such cases.” The spokesman said the CAA would swiftly take over its land after winning cases against encroachers across the country.