IHC summons CDA directors to explain E-12 delay
IHC summons CDA directors to explain E-12 delay
Published: July 10, 2009
ISLAMABAD (APP) - The Islamabad High Court here Thursday summoned Directors Lands and Planning of the Capital Development Authority to appear in person on July 21 to apprise the court about the delayed development process of Sector E-12.
The single bench of Justice Mohammad Ramzan Chaudhry issued the directive on a suo motu notice taken by Chief Justice M. Bilal Khan on June 29 on an application of Mohammad Iqbal Group Captain/Senior Staff Officer (Support & AD) HQs Central Air Command PAF.
During the proceedings Justice Chaudhry asked the CDA counsel as to when the Authority would be handing over possession to the people whose children had grown up and they were still homeless. He pointed out that CDA had a hefty budget.
Irfan Mehmood, a lecturer and allottee, appeared to assist the bench on the issue. He said that he like others he had applied for the plot in the sector in 1989 but could not get anything after the lapse of twenty years.
He informed that there were as many as 7,878 allottees and they had deposited an amount of Rs 2.5 billion with CDA which might have swelled to Rs 40 billion after accumulation of bank interest.
The CDA further demanded Rs 650 per square yard from the allottees for the development of the sector, he added.
He said on November 30, Federal Ombudsman accepted allottees’ plea against CDA decision to increase development charges and referred the case to then President.
He said former President Pervez Musharraf directed the allottees to pay the additional charges and CDA would hand over possession in three years.
Similar directives were issued by the then prime minister on June 7, 18, 2004 respectively, he said and added that it was indeed strange that CDA instead developed G-13 initiated in 2004.
Barrister Masroor Shah, counsel for CDA, apprised the bench that the land was acquired by the CDA but so far the possession of land was not completed.
He said the main problem was encroachment which could trigger law and order situation as it had been seen in the recent past.
The main applicant in his plea stated that the sector was initiated in 80s but after lapse of fourteen years, it had not been developed.
The concerned authorities of CDA were delaying the process on one pretext or the other, he said.
He said that he was going to retire on December 9 and many people like him were not in a position to construct house on the plot unless CDA compensated them.
http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/Regional/Islamabad/10-Jul-2009/IHC-summons-CDA-directors-to-explain-E12-delay