ISLAMABAD, Feb 15: Capital Development Authority (CDA) is not taking possession of a flower market at F-10 Markaz illegally occupied by encroachers, sources told Dawn.

The sources said a stay order obtained by the encroachers had vacated last month, however the authority’s Directorate of Municipal Administration (DMA) was not taking over the charge of market constructed by the CDA.

Some DMA officials are supporting the encroachers and using delay tactics in taking possession of the market so that the land-grabbers can appeal to a higher court, they added.

The sources said the encroachers were trying to obtain another stay order to keep the possession of the flower shops.

The under construction flower market located at F-10 Markaz was encroached and inaugurated without informing the CDA.

According to the CDA, as many as seven flower shops are being constructed to accommodate flower sellers running this business since 1998 on temporary basis at the same area.

These flower sellers have been given written permission by the CDA to occupy the shops on temporary basis. They were assured by the authority that they would be accommodated in the flower market.

However, former president of F-10 Markaz traders association, Malik Zahoor, and Saifullah managed to halt the construction work and occupied all the under construction shops, some genuine flower sellers told Dawn.

Flower Sellers Union (FSU) president Mohammad Ashraf said the encroachers — Malik Zahoor and Saifullah — organised an inauguration ceremony of the flower market without informing the CDA.

Flower sellers, who have been running this business at F-10 Markaz for last six years, deserved to have flower shops but irrelevant people, who are not the members of FSU, have encroached the market, he added.