ISLAMABAD: The expansion of old slums along with new one’s appearing in sectors like I-14 and I-12 will stress the city’s already dwindling natural resources.
While the Capital Development Authority (CDA) was formed for a special purpose to plan and develop the capital in a planned, environmentally friendly, sustainable fashion, the organisation has failed to fulfill its core purpose. The mushrooming growth of slums speaks loads about the top civic agency’s performance and failure to stump the new ones in Capital’s vicinity and main sectors.
Following in the footsteps of Sector I-11,where Islamabad’s latest slum has been established, a similar one is being slowly and steadily coming to life in Sector I-12. The Enforcement Directorate of CDA has once again turned a blind eye. It is pertinent to mention that CDA has the possession of the land and is all set to develop a new sector.
It is estimated that more than a 0.1 million people dwell in more than two dozen slums located in F-6, F-7, G-7, H-9, I-11, I-12 and other areas.
It is pertinent to mention here that around a dozen of these slums have been given ‘ownership’ rights by the courts and are legally occupied by their inhabitants. However, the lack of basic amenities, proper sanitation, provision of water, gas, and electricity are unavailable to many. Over a decade ago, multiple operations were conducted to vacate the slums, however, strong resistance from the dwellers and court orders deterred authorities.
Even today, the CDA Enforcement Wing along with Directorate of Municipal Administration continue their anti-encroachment, anti-slum operation and raze illegal slums, kiosks, stalls in poor areas while turning a blind eye to similar structures located in the elite locality of Chak Shahzad – home to farm houses of famous politicians, generals, businessmen and bureaucrats. Posh sectors of the Capital like F-6, F-7, G-12 and E-12 were treated in a like manner.
‘Islamabad is a brutal, bloody city if one is not not rich or influential. You can even sense the difference in slums located in posh and downtrodden sectors. I live in H-9 slum, we strive to have water and electricity, there isn’t any, the garbage heaps remain untouched, the roads are in shambles and constantly fear the encroachment action against us. When we visit our friends and fellows in F-6, F-7 we barely believe that they too live in slums,’ said Haroon Masih, who lives in a makeshift shanty in H-9 slum.
Twice, and at times thrice a week, CDA issues a press release avowing continuation of its anti-encroachment campaign where teams of enforcement directorate conducted a gigantic and joint operation against encroachments in various areas of the Capital and demolished numerous illegal structures, dwellings and fixed other such violations which were causing inconvenience to the general public.
