CDA to allot over 1,000 acres to Army for new GHQ, other offices: report

ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) will allot over 1,000 acres of land to the Pakistan Army for the construction of General head quarters in the capital city, reports Dawn.

This plan was dropped in 2008-09 due to financial constraints and on the instructions of the then army chief, Ashfaq Pervez Kiyani, however, the construction work will reportedly begin soon.

This was decided in a high level meeting chaired by Member Estate Khushal Khan, which was held on December 19 at the CDA headquarters. Concerned CDA officers and army officers of Defence Complex Islamabad (DCI) attended the meeting.

According to the report, around 138 acres of land will be allotted to the army for this purpose and the ground rent will be waived off, as it was the ‘CDA’s fault to not hand over possession of the land to the army.’

A decision regarding 293 acres of land in D-11 was also taken for which an allotment letter shall be sent to the army soon, the report states.

A summary regarding the resettlement of locals of the area was also discussed and the new sector, proposed as H-16, will not be enough to accommodate them. A CDA member told the newspaper that the army has been cooperating with them and has already paid for a large portion of the amount they will get from the CDA.

According to the report, the MoD also wants the CDA to provide information about the demarcation of military grass farm land in the Margalla Hills, ‘without any further delay.’