Crisis management centre to be set up in ABAD office

A Crisis Management Centre (CMC) will be set up in the office of the Association of Builders and Developers of Pakistan (ABAD) on the instructions of Interior Minister Rehman Malik. The CMC will be managed by an officer of DSP rank so that actions on problems of construction industry may be taken promptly.
This was stated by the Chairman of ABAD, Babar Mirza, following Interior Minister's meeting with a delegation of ABAD here. The Minister also promptly issued directives for strong action against land grabbers and 'Bhatta Mafia'. He also asked the Chairman of ABAD to provide details of land grabbing and encroachment of private properties.
Babar Mirza welcomed the orders of the President and Prime Minister for strict action against land grabbers and those involved in encroachment activities on lands, offices and unoccupied flats. These steps, he said, will be helpful in the revival of construction activities.
He informed the minister about the details of Qabza on land belonging to ABAD members and the incidents of bhatta, ransacking of offices, beating of staff and threats to kill. Such activities have resulted in negative impact on the building and construction industry which, in turn, has affected the business of 72 industries allied to the construction industry. As a result, production of steel re-rolling mills has gone down by 50 percent, and the same is the situation with other allied industries.
This situation has adversely affected government revenues in the form of taxes. Construction industry cannot prosper without proper security to builders. If the government will act against land grabbers, encroachers and bhatta mafia, it would help in promoting investment, both local and foreign. It would also reduce unemployment by increasing construction activities which in turn would help in reducing crime rate, Babar said.