The evacuation operation planned by the Capital Development Authority in Afghan Basti of sector I-11 faced a glitch on Sunday as the Islamabad Police voiced its intention that the area needed to be de-weaponised first. Dozens of the CDA personnel, along with their heavy equipment, had already been deployed at the site but the Islamabad Police was yet to give a timeline for its planned operation.
Last week, the sub-committee of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Cabinet had set a deadline of February 11 for the CDA to evacuate the land, as the sector had been allotted to the low-salaried employees. Consequently, the CDA had started correspondence with all the stakeholders, including the ICT Police, to extend their cooperation to execute the task. For the last couple of days, around 125 personnel of the Enforcement Directorate had been deployed at the site; however they could not execute the operation owing to the non-deployment of the police personnel.
The CDA would keep four teams equipped with a bulldozer, four trucks, three mini trucks and a coaster, all deployed at the site.
The staff had been asked to remain on duty up till February 11, the operation’s deadline.
On February 4, CDA Chairman Syed Tahir Shahbaz had written to Islamabad Chief Commissioner and apprised him about the planned operation, seeking police and magisterial cover for the purpose. The CDA had also carried out a fresh survey of the slum in collaboration with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and other stakeholders.
The CDA had also planned the operations in the past which was halted due to the intervention of UNHCR, as the Basti housed a number of Afghan Refugees.
Meanwhile, the number of inhabitants swelled to 864 families, including 141 families of the Afghan Refugees.
According to the recent survey of a total of 864 families, 285 hailed from Mohmand Agency, 39 from Bajaur, 121 from Mardan, 42 from Charsada, 92 from Peshawar, 23 from Dir, 10 from Nawshehra and 40 from Swabi.
The sector I-11 had been launched 23 years ago and the allottees, majority whom were low-salaried employees, yearned to have possession of their plots.
Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Amer Ahmed Ali told APP that in a meeting between the CDA and ICT Police, it had been decided that the police would first de-weaponize the area and would take into custody all those who pose resistance during the operation.
He said the operation would be carried out in phases; however its duration could not be ascertained at the moment.
He said the area had been cleared in 2006 but the encroachments swelled manifold and it would also be examined as to which of the CDA workers had been responsible for this negligence.
CDA Spokesman Ramzan Sajid said the CDA had made a comprehensive plan for the operation after a thorough discussion with all the stakeholders.
The spokesman said the CDA was mulling various options to execute the task.
He said the CDA teams would remain deployed there for the operation and any report in this regard would be presented before the committee.
Afghan Bastis to stay, for now
