While sharing details of anti-encroachment drive at a press conference along with Deputy Commissioner Islamabad Hamza Shafqat here, the minister said that Capital development Authority (CDA) and Punjab forest department has a 5500 acre forest area in the federal capital.Of the total, more than 700 acre had been encroached he said adding that during the drive 211 acre land have been retrieved so far while rest of the land would be recovered soon.

He said that it was the joint effort of Capital Development Authority, Islamabad Capital Administration, Islamabad Police and Punjab forest department.

The minister said due to the absence of boundary wall around the area, the land grabbers had taken the advantage to occupy the forest land and the demarcation process of the land was also pending for 10 years that would be demarcated soon.

All stakeholders were on same platform, he said adding that First Information Report (FIR) have been registered against the encroachers and everything was being monitored regularly.

He said under the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan “Green Pakistan” actions were being taken after completing the home work and through proper channel and added that it would restore the beauty of Islamabad.

To a question he said through the anti-encroachment drive, a message had been conveyed to influential people that henceforth, there would be rule of law and it is ‘Naya Pakistan’ where no one would be allowed to grab state land.