Islamabad: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has claimed a tremendous breakthrough when it signed a package deal with inhabitants of Soran and Bokra villages located in sectors I-11 and I-12 to settle what it termed one of the oldest land disputes with local people. However little has been done to resolve a similar issue in Sector E-12.
In Sector E-12, people were allotted residential plots way back in 1996 but the whole area is still under ‘adverse possession’.
According to sources, the whole area in the sector is not under possession of illegal occupants or squatters. However, they said, more and more people are quietly setting up shanties in the sector, which, with the passage of time, would turn into mud-houses or even ‘pakka’ houses.
For sectors I-11 and I-12, the CDA started the land acquisition process back in 1974 when the first ‘award’ was announced. However the process hit one stumbling block after another. The locals, usually referred to as ‘affectees’, continued to frustrate CDA’s efforts for taking physical possession of the land in these sectors by filing cases against the rehabilitation and dispensation of compensation announced by the CDA for acquiring land in these sectors.
Eventually the CDA gave up all efforts to take over physical possession of land in sectors I-11 and I-12 when Afghan refugees started arriving in the capital as a result of the US-sponsored ‘jehad’ in Afghanistan in 1979.
Soon a large ‘katchi abadi’ (shanty town) appeared in the area which served as one of the biggest Afghan refugee camps commonly known as ‘Afghan Basti.’ This ‘katchi abadi’ even undermined inhabitants of these villages as they overwhelmingly outnumbered them. On the other hand, Afghan refugees dashed all hopes of the CDA to take over possession of the area and start development activity.
The situation was particularly frustrating for people who had purchased plots in these sectors through public auction as well as ones who were allotted plots under various government schemes, including 850 employees of the CDA itself who were allotted residential plots in these sectors about 20 years ago. CDA employees were allotted residential plots in these sectors in 1979.
Then came a big opportunity for the CDA soon after the war against Al-Qaeda started in Afghanistan after the 9/11 incident in the US. As a result of which, Pakistan ordered all Afghan refugees to return to their homeland.
Refugees living in the ‘Afghan Basti’ of sectors I-11 and I-12 were also compelled to return to their country or at least shift to the newly set up camps close to the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, mainly in NWFP.
However the CDA faltered once again. Officials in the concerned directorates looked the other way instead of taking over possession of the land. They failed to take possession of the area when an opportunity knocked at their door after 20 years.
According to the recently signed package deal with ‘affectees,’ the CDA has agreed to allot 2,400 plots to inhabitants of village Soran, located in Sector I-11, and village Bokra, located in Sector I-12, in addition to cash compensation for the built up property.
While signing the deal, the CDA has set up a new precedent by allotting plots to ‘affectees’ in the same sector where land has been acquired from them. In the past, special sector(s) were reserved for ‘affectees’ of Islamabad. Most of the people from whom the CDA had acquired land were allotted plots in sectors I-14/2, I-14/3 and I-14/4 (I-14/1 is the Haj Complex).
According to the CDA chairman, who led the civic body’s side in the signing ceremony of the package deal, it was a welcome news for all those 2,500 persons who were allotted plots in Sector I-11. He conceded that both sectors, I-11 and I-12, remained under ‘adverse possession’ for almost four decades but said that as the future focus was mainly on the development of the sector, the CDA decided to resolve this issue amicably instead of remaining engaged in litigation with ‘affectees’.
He said that as a result of this deal the CDA would get 12,000 kanals of land for housing units by June 18, 2009. “In addition to this, over 300 commercial plots in Sector I-11, which were under ‘adverse possession,’ would also be available for auction. It would help the CDA in generating funds for the development of the sector,” CDA Chairman Tariq Mahmood Khan said.
This could however not be ascertained as to how many plots have been auctioned and how many were allotted in sectors I-11 and I-12.
CDA Member Saeed-ur-Rehman, when contacted, told ‘The News’ that the main focus will be on development of the sector during the next financial year. “These two sectors, I-11 and I-12, will remain the centre of focus and adequate funds would be allocated to start and expeditiously complete development work in these two sectors,” he said.
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