ISLAMABAD: All land on the west side of the stream flowing from Shahdara between Wapda grid station and Bhara Kahu belonged to Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU), the university management quoted a report of the Survey of Pakistan on Tuesday.

But several houses have been built on the portion of this land.

Meanwhile, the Joint Action Committee, comprising representatives of QAU Alumni Association and Academic Staff Association, at a meeting announced a movement against the occupation of 298 acres of the university.

The committee decided that all possible options would be utilised to retrieve the land. A protest would also be held in front of the National Press Club on Wednesday.

The meeting regretted that no concrete step had so far been taken to get the QAU land retrieved from the illegal occupants.

“Non-resolution of the issue has created a lot of problems in terms of security and development work.

Govt asked to remove all illegal occupants of university land during ongoing anti-encroachment drive

“Due to the issue, the premier higher educational institution could not construct a boundary wall or complete any development work on the campus.”

The committee demanded the federal government resolve the issue without any further delay. The government’s anti-encroachment drive should include the complete retrieval of the QAU land.

According to a statement issued by the QAU, the university carried out a fresh demarcation of its land through the Survey of Pakistan in April-May 2017. Coordinates have been fixed on the boundary line.

“As per Survey of Pakistan report, all the land on the west side of the main stream coming from Shahdara Valley and flowing between Wapda grid station and Bhara Kahu belongs to Quaid-i-Azam University.”

It said 1,709 acres, four kanals and 12 marlaswas acquired by the CDA in 1967-72 for the University of Islamabad, (now QAU). But the possession of vacant land was not given by the CDA to the university.

As a result, the university inherited illegal occupants, including nine villages spreading over 298 acres on the campus besides encroachment from outside.

The statement said as the government had started an anti-encroachment drive across the country, the university requested the local administration to retrieve its land from illegal encroachments.

“All illegal occupants/encroachers on the university land are hereby directed to vacate the university land immediately otherwise the government will launch an operation for their evacuation. The illegal occupants/encroachers will be responsible for any damage/loss in this regard,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, sources in CDA and Islamabad Capital Territory administration said that an operation was being planned retrieve QAU land from the encroachers.

Published in Dawn, January 2nd, 2019