Influential locals ‘overpower’ CDA, deter attempt to raze illegal marquee, superstore

-Enforcement Directorate passes the buck on city administration for failing to show up

ISLAMABAD: Capital Development Authority (CDA) Directorate Enforcement along with the Building Control Section (BCS) failed to raze the illegal under construction marquee and superstore of a local influential who deterred the teams from both directorates, resulting in failure of a joint operation here on Thursday.

Imtiaz Marquee and Super Store, an under-construction structure over many kanals of land owned by Pir Hassan Uddin, was issued repeated notices by CDA Building Control Section and finally, the enforcement along with BCS decided to conduct a joint operation with the assistance of district administration and area magistrate. However, the operation resulted in complete failure as the team faced resistance and had to leave the premises.

Talking to Pakistan Today, BCS Director Shafi Marwat and director enforcement said that despite writing the letters to District Administration and Police for deputing magistrate and personnel, both departments did not pay heed.

“We have given two days to the marquee and superstore owner to demolish the building themselves or else we will raze it without further notice,” said Marwat.

It is pertinent to mention here that China Cutting by various private societies and locals in Sectors like E-11 has been rampant of late. Despite making countless headlines the influential mafia backing the practice keeps on plaguing federal capital. The amenity plots earmarked for parks, schools, parking and playgrounds are slowly vanishing and in their place, commercial and residential plots are being carved out.

It is also to be noted that the aforementioned practice is not only limited to backward, rural areas as Sector E-11, in fact, some of the poshest sectors have also seen illegal constructions. Since E-11 had not previously been in CDA’s jurisdiction, land grabbers and encroachers had their heyday by taking advantage of lack of regulation and building control. Now, many parks and playgrounds in these sectors have been converted into residential or commercial plots.

Sector E-11 has multiple private housing societies, National Police Foundation (NPF), Multi Professional Cooperative Housing Society (MPCHS), Federal Employees Cooperative Housing Society (FECHS) and Pakistan Medical Cooperative Housing Society (PMCHS) are the main one.

Each society has its own infrastructure maintenance system in place. Till date, a probe into the matter of land swapping in sector E-11 from the year 2009 to 2013 fearing massive violations and bringing to the fore the beneficiaries of these transactions remains in cold storage.