ISLAMABAD: Section 144 has been imposed by the district administration in order to halt illegal construction in E-10, D-11 and northern strip of the city. The construction process in the villages within said localities will be where the new GHQ building will be established, reported Dawn.
The ban on construction was imposed from February 13 and will remain active for a period of two months. “It has come to my knowledge through Capital Development Authority (CDA) that the CDA has required land in sectors in E-10 and D-11 and Northern Area of GHQ comprising Sinari Sanduri and Mera Beri, Chauntra and compensation have been awarded to the affectees as per policy. Illegal construction has been reported by the CDA, in said sectors,” reads a magistrate-issued notification.
Out of a 1,000 acres earmarked for the Army’s new GHQ, the CDA issued an allotment letter for 293 acres after a meeting with army officials on December 19, 2017. The army had postponed its plan to move the GHQ from Rawalpindi to Islamabad in 2008-09 owing to fiscal constraints. The December meeting also discussed issues regarding the construction of an office complex to be built on 138 acres.
A formal allotment letter could not be issued because of an outstanding 84 million annual rent against the army.
“We have started work on file work to waive the annual ground rent as it was the CDA’s fault not to hand over the possession of the land to the army after its lease years ago. So, there is no justification for imposing the annual ground rent on the army,” said the member estate after the meeting.
Additionally, a total of 870 acres had been allotted to Defence Complex Islamabad for the construction of office complexes in Zone III to the north of E-10 and D-11.
The CDA officials were also contemplating acquiring lands in I-17 and H-17 for the resettlement of locals.
Section 144 has also been imposed in Sihala to cease illegal construction.