CDA recovers over 1,000 kanals land

Despite strong resistance, Capital Development Authority (CDA) recovered over 1,000 kanals land in first phase of the ongoing operation against land grabbers in the federal capital. Although, the authority faced strong resistance from the illegal occupants, the operation was continued in the wake of instructions from Supreme Court of Pakistan to get its land vacated from adverse possession in different areas of the Federal Capital, said a spokesman of the CDA here on Monday.
The operation led by Director General Planning, Ghulam Sarwar Sindhu and Director Enforcement, Muhammad Ramzan Joya while Enforcement Directorate of the CDA, Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Administration and Islamabad Police took part in operation to obtain the possession of the land from illegal occupants, the spokesman said. In the first phase, CDA Enforcement teams assisted by the ICT and Police have got vacated more than 1000 kanals of the acquired land in adverse possession in the areas of Chak Bera Singh, Jhoke Jheja and Lakhwal adjacent to the National Institute of Health (NIH) and Banni Gala, he said, adding that the land was acquired during 1960 and 1961 in the first phase of the acquisition for the development of the Federal Capital.
The Chairman CDA, Imtiaz Inayat Elahi visited different sites where the operation was in progress and directed the enforcement teams to get every inch of the CDA land vacated from the illegal occupants.
Elahi said that the CDA has evolved a comprehensive strategy in collaboration with the ICT Administration and Police to get the acquired land vacated from the illegal occupants. He said that the Authority has given prior notice to all such occupants through national media to vacate CDA land in their possession in their own interest. He also directed the authority concerned that the operation should be across the board and no concession would be given to anyone in this regard. CDA is setting up pickets in the area after getting the possession of land, he added.
Elahi said that Supreme Court is being kept informed about the progress in this connection and ICT Administration and Police are fully co-operating with the CDA. CDA Chief said that a co-ordination committee consisting of the representatives of ICT Administration, Police and CDA is effectively monitoring the operation. He called upon the illegal occupants to amicably vacate the CDA acquired land, saying that the adverse possession of land and subsequent ill-planned construction has damaged the beautification of the Federal Capital.
The development in the city in a planned manner is the basic responsibility of the Authority and CDA would start development activities after getting the CDA land released from the adverse possession, Elahi maintained. He said that he would appeal to the people who are in possession of CDA acquired land to extend co-operation and vacate the land to prevent any untoward incident by creating any sort of confrontation with CDA teams, which are in the field to take over the possession of the acquired land.