ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) high-ups on Tuesday assured the Islamabad High Court (IHC) that they would resolve all pending issues of people whose land had been acquired for development of sectors in a transparent manner.

CDA Chairman retired Capt Mohammad Usman and Member Estate Afnan Alam appeared before the court during hearing of a case filed by the affected landowners of E-12.

IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah observed that it was grave injustice that the affected people had been waiting for compensations from the CDA for decades.

The CDA chief told the court that the civic agency would reach out to the affected persons at their doorsteps, adding that he had recently visited the sector to listen to the issues of the landowners.

Chief justice calls it injustice that people have to wait for compensations; CDA chief says landowners to be reached out at their doorsteps

Justice Minallah appreciated the CDA chief and directed him to resolve the pending cases of the legitimate affected persons.

The CDA officials also submitted a report to the IHC and after showing its satisfaction on it, the court adjourned the case for a month.

E-12 was acquired in the 1980s and in 1989 the CDA sold out over 4,000 plots. However, the allottees are still waiting to get possession of the land while a number of people whose land had been acquired and who were entitled to alternative plots are still awaiting compensation.

The report submitted to the IHC stated that the issues of E-12 affected persons were being resolved and on the direction of the CDA chief, the member estate had been tasked to ensure a weekly visit of the officials to the sector and other areas where the affected citizens lived.

“The officials would offer on-site assistance to the affected persons in updating their records, conducting legal heir-ship and fulfilling other codal formalities,” the report said.

“This would ensure that the rehabilitation benefits are extended transparently. Also, the CDA, with immediate effect, will have to ensure that there are no hurdles to the affected citizens in getting their rehabilitation benefits in line with existing rehabilitation policy/package deals and allied codal formalities, rules and regulations,” the report added.

The court was also told that the Land and Rehabilitation Directorate of the CDA would also explore the possibility of establishing a camp office wherein the affected citizens would avoid the hassle of travelling and visiting the CDA office repeatedly.

The CDA was also making efforts to engage Nadra’s mobile services for verification of family details.

It may be noted that hundreds of cases of land affected people in various sectors are pending for decades because of the negligence of the CDA.

However, the report stated that the CDA chairman had directed the member estate and officers of the L&R directorate to conduct transparent and open balloting of the claims of the affected people.

The report also stated that the civic agency was working for announcing built-up property (BUP) awards.

“Fresh instructions have been issued to the deputy commissioner CDA to undertake pending BUP awards of the sectors acquired on land-sharing regulations 2007 or Islamabad Displaced Persons Policy 1996 basis,” said the report.

Published in Dawn, September 21st, 2022