Zubair Qureshi
Capital Development Authority (CDA) has not yet handed over the possession letters of the plots in Sector E-12 to the legitimate owners despite the fact some three decades have passed. It was in 1985 when CDA had launched the sector and offered bids.
The CDA announced the sector in 1985 but even after three decades possession of the plots could not be given to the allottees. The affected people were told by the CDA that they would get plots in I-12 but that deal could not be materialized.
As a result, a number of landowners refused to vacate the land. Moreover, officials of the CDA tried to include fake affected people in the award. They also allowed people to construct buildings and boundary walls to get compensation for the built-up property (BuP).
After a senate’s standing committee on Government Assurances took up the matter, CDA officials told the committee in a meeting held on Monday that possession letters will soon be handed to the plot owners of Sector E-12 and in this regard all the necessary documentation and paperwork have been carried out.
The meeting was chaired by Chief Whip of the ruling party and committee chairman Amir Dogar. The committee was informed that the CDA had received all charges, including development charges, from the plot owners but was yet to hand over the plots to them.
The meeting was also informed by concerned authorities that the government was interested in developing the sector without further delay. The committee directed the CDA to address all issues related to the development of the sector within one month and submit a compliance report.
MNA Sher Akbar Khan of the PTI later told media that he had taken up the matter on the floor of the parliament during the tenure of PML-N.
“At that time minister for parliamentary affairs Sheikh Aftab Ahmed had given an assurance that the matter would be addressed within months. After winning the elections, I wrote a letter to the chairman of the committee to take up the issue,” he said.
“Though CDA has given an assurance that possession would be given at the earliest I know that some of its officers are on payroll of private housing societies and create hurdles in completion of sectors,” he alleged.
During verification in 2007, out of the 1,935 affected people 1,054 were found fake. As a result, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) also started an investigation. On July 27, 2002, police opened fire on protesters when the CDA tried to take possession of the land. As a result, two villagers of Siri Saral were killed.
The police later registered a case against the villagers on the charges of murder, attempts to murder, police encounter and terrorism. However, Lahore High Court (LHC)’s Rawalpindi bench later directed the capital police to register a murder case against an officer of the district administration.
The current management of the CDA under Chairman Amir Ahmed Ali has expedited the development work and has been claiming that possession of plots would be given to allottees soon.
