ISLAMABAD: The Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) has sought full municipal authority in three un-acquired sectors of the federal capital.
The issue, however, will be decided by the federal cabinet.
The RCB has stated that some of its area had been included in the area specified under the CDA Ordinance 1960.
According to a document of the Ministry of Interior, the RCB has been claiming that it has 85 acres in G-13, 145 acres in G-14, 677 acres in 1-12, 78 acres in I-14, 676 acres in H-13 and 1,395 acres in H-14 and H-15.
Sources in the interior ministry said during a series of meetings between RCB, CDA and the capital administration, it has been in principle decided that RCB will withdraw its claim from four residential sectors of the CDA in lieu of H-13, H-14 and H-15.
Says some of its area included in capital territory under CDA ordinance
The sources said RCB was already operating in H-14 and H-15 and is now seeking control over H-13. The sources said a summary of the RCB has been forwarded to the federal cabinet through the Ministry of Defence.
The sources, however, said before placing the summary in the federal cabinet, the CDA was being asked to furnish its point of view as well. CDA officials said they would submit comments only after seeing the summary.
“It is a win-win situation for both the CDA and the RCB. Frankly speaking, in H-14 and 15, the RCB is already slightly operating and if we give them H-13 in lieu of their claims in four other sectors, this will be a good deal,” said an official of the CDA.
“I have no idea about the summary and will respond after reading it,” he said and added that the CDA has currently no practical control on H-14 and H-15, where RCB operates. H-13 does fall in CDA jurisdiction but being un-acquired the CDA never made any serious attempt to have a regulatory check on it, he added.
Meanwhile, the summary said: “The federal cabinet is requested that declaration may graciously be granted to allow Rawalpindi Cantonment Board to operate fully as an autonomous municipal body under the provision of Cantonment Act 1924 in the areas already part of Cantonment (H-14 and H-15) proposed to be included in cantonment i.e H-13 in lieu of cantonment area falling in sector G-13, G-14,I-12 and I-14.”
It said: “Defence Division supports the above proposal. The minister of defence has authorised the submission of the summary.”
Explaining the background of the case, the summary said: “Section 15A of the CDA Ordinance empowers the federal government to authorise the CDA to operate as a municipality for such areas and for such period within the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) as may be notified in the official gazette.”
The CDA ordinance recognises the Cantonment Board as a local body having jurisdiction in the area concerned as per clause (1) of section 2, which implies that the Cantonment Board can operate as a local body in the areas of cantonment which fall within the capital territory, said summary.
It said overlapping of municipal jurisdiction of the RCB and CDA has resulted in multifarious issues concerning compliance, service delivery and revenue collection apart from security concerns of armed forces due to presence of defence establishments in some of these areas.
The summary said in a suo motu case, the Supreme Court of Pakistan had observed on Dec 16, 2018, that there were some issues with regard to cantonment areas made part of ICT, and held that the matter be referred to the federal government for the determination of the cantonment areas.
It further said: “CDA has agreed vide letter dated 14-12-2018 to submit the matter to the federal cabinet after incorporating its point of view in summary to be routed through the Ministry of Interior.”
It said at a meeting held on Jan 1, 2021, the director general Military Land and Cantonment and the chairman CDA, it was agreed that area as well boundary adjustment be made between CDA/ICT and the RCB and the case be submitted to the federal cabinet for final approval in order to control unwarranted and mushroom growth of unauthorised buildings as well address security concerns.
Published in Dawn, March 23rd, 2021