ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has informed the federal government that before allowing the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) to regulate three ‘H’ series sectors of Islamabad, necessary legislative changes were required as the issue of overlapping boundaries between the civic agencies was still undecided.

Sources said that last week during a meeting held at the Cabinet Division, officials of the CDA law wing had said that without legislative changes the RCB could not operate in CDA’s sectors. It was discussed that the RCB wanted to take over the three sectors only to the extent of imposing its regulations, provision of municipal services and tax collection and the sectors will remain part of Islamabad.

“We shared our view point in detail. It was discussed that the CDA could be asked for its comments in writing for moving ahead,” a CDA source said.

They said participants of the meeting were told that without making changes to the CDA Ordinance 1960 and the jurisdiction of Islamabad Capital of the Republic Ordinance 1963, the CDA could not exclude the sectors from Islamabad’s jurisdiction.

With exclusion of H-13, H-14 and H-15, Islamabad’s area will reduce from 906.5 sq km to about 894 sq km

Over the years, the issue of overlapping boundaries has been taken up in a series of meetings in which the RCB claimed ownership on 2,509 acres in various sectors and stated that survey sheets for 1964, 1977, 1980 and 1985 held with RCB showed that these areas should be in RCB’s jurisdiction.

At a meeting held last year, the CDA and RCB in principle had agreed that the former will back off from its claim of ownership on land in Islamabad and in lieu of this three un-acquired sectors - H-13, H-14 and H-15 - will be excluded from the capital’s boundaries.

An official of the CDA law wing said last year the RCB through the Ministry of Defence had also moved a summary to the federal government, asking to make necessary changes to the law for excluding the three sectors from the jurisdiction of Islamabad.

The federal government through the Ministry of Interior then sought comments from the CDA.

In response, the CDA did not oppose the move but stated that legislation was required for this purpose.

The CDA’s summary dated June 14, 2021, stated: “Sector of G-13, G-14, I-14 and I-12 are not recommended for exclusion (from Islamabad’s limit) as the same has already been acquired and developed by FGEHA/CDA as per master plan of Islamabad.

“Sector H-13, H-14 and H-15 are yet to be acquired and developed by CDA as per the master plan of Islamabad and CDA Ordinance 1960 for institutional use. With the change of jurisdiction of these sectors from Islamabad to RCB, the area of the capital will reduce from 906.5 sq km to about 894 sq km, which require legislative changes.”

Sources said in the latest meeting, RCB officials said instead of excluding the three sectors from Islamabad’s jurisdiction, the RCB should be allowed to regulate and provide municipal services besides carrying out tax collection in them.

Besides overlapping of boundaries, the RCB had also been claiming that it had some portion of land in G-13, G-14, I-14, I-12 and in some H-series sectors.

According to RCB’s claim, it has 85 acres in G-13, 145 acres in G-14, 677 acres in 1-12, 78 acres in I-14, 676 acres in H-13 and 1,395 acres in H-14 and H-15. However, last year, it was decided that RCB would withdraw its claim in the four sectors and in lieu will get control in three un-acquired H-series sectors.

Out of them, H-13 is dotted with hundreds of unplanned and unregulated buildings as the CDA never made any serious attempts to impose its regulations there.

Published in Dawn, March 25th, 2022