ISLAMABAD (APP) - The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has decided to engage private sector companies for the acquisition of land in sector F-12, that has now become an uphill task for the Authority. According to senior CDA official, the Authority is going to engage some private sector company to get the land of the sector acquired from the landowners, who had earlier declined to accept the award announced by the CDA. "The Authority acquired the land in 1985, but the land owners did not accept the prices of land and most of them did not accept the payment," said the official. He said earlier, the Authority had not announced the award for built-up property, which is still owned by the locals. Later, in connivance of the locals, the outsiders also started construction in the area but the Authority could not stop it due to lack of work force in its enforcement directorate. When asked about the cost of the land acquisition, he said it requires at least Rs40 billion to compensate the people for their land as well as built-up property, what would put huge burden on the Authority, already facing financial crunch. He said it is also possible that the Authority hands over the sector for land acquisition as well as development to the private company and the terms and conditions are yet to be finalised to be dealt with the company. He said the CDA had planned practical means for early acquisition of land.He, however, said anytime frame in this would be immature. He said the highest authority has already accorded approval for the allocation of Sector F-12 to Federal Government Employees Housing Foundation (FGEHF) for allotment of plots to federal government employees. He said the Ministry of Housing and Works and the CDA would jointly work to open the sector for government employees to meet the shortage of housing units in the Federal Capital. The official said over 6,000 plots would be developed in the new sector, which would be allotted according to set criteria of the FGEHF under which quota- wise plots would be provided to federal government employees, general public, armed forces personnel, journalists and special people.