According to the news, salaries of top CDA officers (chairman of CDA and 70 of his subordinates) have been stopped by the order of Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui of Islamabad High Court. As per order of the court, salaries would not be given to CDA officers until they compensate affected villagers of sectors H-16 and I-17 by paying outstanding Rs 12 billion.
The Rawalpindi Bench of Lahore High Court ordered CDA to compensate around 600 villagers who surrendered their lands for development of the two sectors in three villages naming Kot Kholian Badhana and Noon. As an action after hearing several petitions from affected villages on 17th July, Justice Siddiqui had warned CDA that he would seize their bank accounts and stop their salaries if they don’t pay compensation to villagers within seven days.
Legal advisor of the CDA, Ramzan Chaudhry, reported to court that CDA presented multiple options of compensation to villagers but they did not even agree to a single option. He further added that due to financial constraints CDA could not compensate the villagers within the short time given by the court and civic body would definitely challenge the orders of stopping salaries. Civic agency would also file an appeal against the orders before the bench of Islamabad High Court.
The legal advisor asked the court for more time but court believes despite its instructions, CDA is reluctant to pay the compensation. Salaries of CDA bosses have released but the condition of compensating villagers has been attached with their payment. The date would be fixed by the registrar office and till then the court has adjourned this matter.
