ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) on Saturday claimed that it had got possession of the entire area of Mozza Siri Saral in E-12.
The prime land, which in the past witnessed a number of operations and a bloody clash, was allotted to plot seekers decades ago. But they still wait for possession of the plots.
The CDA announced the sector in 1985 but even after three decades could not acquired the land.
In the beginning, the land owners were told by the civic agency that they would get plots in I-12 against their land but the deal could not be materialised. As a result, some of the affected villagers refused to vacate their land. Moreover, officials of the CDA tried to include fake landowners in the award list to get compensation. They also allowed people to construct houses and boundary walls in order to get compensation against the built-up property (BuP). But in 2007 during the verification of 1,935 affected people, 1,054 turned out to be fake. As a result, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) started investigating the scandal.
Sector was announced in 1985 but the authority failed to take possession of land for 30 years
On July 27, 2002, the CDA tried to take possession of the land and there was a clash between its staff and the villagers of Siri Saral. Police opened fire to disperse the protesters during which two persons were killed. Later, the police registered a case against the villagers on the charges of murder, attempts to murder, encounter with the police and terrorism. However, Lahore High Court (LHC)’s Rawalpindi bench later directed the capital police to register a murder case against an officer of the capital administration.
A few months ago, the CDA revived efforts to get possession of the land with its Chairman Amer Ali Ahmed claiming that all possible steps would be taken to remove the illegal occupants.
In an official statement issued on Saturday, the CDA said a massive anti-encroachment operation launched to vacate illegal occupants from the acquired land in E-12 by the civic agency and the Islamabad capital territory (ICT) administration continued on Saturday.
It said some elements tried to stop the operation on Saturday and broke the windscreen of a heavy shovel, beat up the operator and threw stones on the operational staff, injuring a few of them. Similarly, some miscreants also put soil and water into the engine chain of the machine and opened fire to create hurdles in the operation.
“However, the ICT administration tackled the situation by calling additional reserve police and arrested 10 miscreants for interruption in official business.”
It added that after normalisation of the situation the operation resumed and hundreds of illegal constructions on the acquired land were demolished. Siri Saral has almost been cleared of illegal occupants, it claimed.
There are thousands of people who have been waiting for possession of their plots in the sector.
“CDA is taking possession from those occupants who have received compensation and continued to hold possession despite lapse of so many decades. The cultivated land will be taken over after harvest of crops. The CDA is resolved to clear all lands from adverse possession. At the same time, development activities are in the process of commencement soon. In this backdrop, formalities are being completed so that tendering can begin as soon as possible,” said the statement.
It said 214 constructions, including rooms and boundary walls, were pulled down on Saturday. During the last three days, a total of 857 constructions have been razed.
Around 250 officers and officials from the enforcement, land and rehabilitation sector development directorates, ICT administration and capital police were taking part in the drive. Rangers were also deputed to counter any untoward situation.
Published in Dawn, March 31st, 2019
