The Islamabad High Court (IHC) issued a stay order against the declaration that residents of Sector G-14 will get compensation for their properties. The court stopped the Land Acquisition Controller (LAC) of Islamabad Capital Territory Administration from compensating the affected villagers of Thalla Syeddan, located in sector G-14. The court directed officials of Pakistan Public Works Department (PWD) to retort to the petition filed by residents of G-14.
Nayab Hassan Gardezi, counsel of the LAC, has told the court that the petition filed by the residents should not be entertained because the compensation has not awarded yet and the residents cannot challenge the process based only on their assumptions. He further added that residents can file their objections against the LAC in the civil court but only after receiving formal notification of the compensation.
Nayab Hassan Gardezi also claimed that the list of ‘affected persons’ was carefully prepared and recommendations of affected persons committee of the villages are also considered. A thorough survey was also conducted to prepare a transparent list of affected people. By continuing his arguments, he said that the process can only be challenged in the civil court because it is based on facts and the claim of the petitioners is also inconsistent with the documentation provided by the Federal Government Employees Housing Foundation (FGEHF), as well as the LAC’s records.
According to petitioners, authorities of the Ministry of Housing and Works, interior ministry, Pak PWD and FGEHF, have formed a committee to analyze the reality of claims of residents of G-14 through Advocate Niazullah Niazi. The petitioner’s counsel said that locals were also part of the scrutiny committee that confirmed the claims of affected residents. Government has taken decision to compensate the villagers at the rate of Rs 1,300 per sq ft to Rs 1,200 per sq ft.
Further more, Faisal Saleh Hayat, the Minister of Housing, directed officials of Pak PWD and FGEHF to conduct a ‘built-up property survey’ in which 788 cases were confirmed. He also claimed that number of affected persons varies in each list prepared by different departments and several fake names were added in these lists.
FGEHF responded to the court and claimed that a few names of owners of ‘built-up properties’ were fictitious and therefore claims are illegal. The respondent also said that Federal Government was obligated by law to financially compensate the old inhabitants of the sector.
After this, the hearing has been adjourned till the last week of July.
