Islamabad - The Directorate of Urban Planning Capital Development Authority (CDA) is sitting on the technical demarcation report pertaining to the Islamabad Club since the last two months, causing delay in deciding subsequent action to retrieve the encroached land, it has been learnt reliably.
Demarcation of the Islamabad Club premises, including Golf Club, to determine actual plot lines and encroachment upon the green belt has remained been an issue since long with the authority striving hard to retrieve the land.
The subject demarcation was conducted on January 26, 2016 together with technical team of the land survey officials and it transpired that the management of Islamabad Club was occupying massive land beyond the permissible allocation without holding legal permission. “Technical demarcation report has not so far been furnished by the urban planning directorate after lapse of more than two months, hence causing delay in proceeding further in the matter,” said a letter written by the enforcement directorate to the concerned high ups. The enforcement directorate has requested to provide the requisite report expeditiously so that the same could be placed before the competent authority for perusal and deciding subsequent action to retrieve the encroached upon land.
The CDA has found that Islamabad Club has encroached upon kanals of the state land. The CDA officials supported by the CDA revenue staff and the town planners, and administration of Islamabad Club had jointly completed the demarcation process of the club to determine actual plot lines. The sources said that the CDA team had found the Club having encroached upon an area of 90-95 feet in front of the actual plot line. The action was taken after the reports that the club has been using state land for commercial purposes without entering into any agreement with the authority. The enforcement directorate took the action in exercise of its mandate conferred vide CDA Ordinance 1960 and CDA Conduct of Business Regulations 1985 to get the actual allotted plot line demarcated afresh.
“A wide area of CDA land (around 90 to 95 feet) was found under the use of Islamabad Club including Golf Court Complex. The boundary line (of the Club) shall be demolished and reconstructed within actual plot line which is 90 to 95 feet inside the Club premises,” said a senior CDA official on condition of anonymity. The CDA action was aimed at retrieving its illegally occupied land and adjacent green belt being used for promoting commercial activities. However, the urban planning is yet to submit a technical demarcation report despite lapse of two months to the concerned department so as to proceed further into the matter.
The Islamabad Club is an exclusive club whose membership comprises government officials, diplomats and the elite of Islamabad. Spread over an area of 346 acres, the club is located in the vicinity of Rawal Lake. The diplomatic enclave and government offices are nearby. Club has a full range of sport facilities including Tennis courts, outdoor and indoor swimming pools, state of the art gymnasium, squash courts, badminton courts, a riding club, and a twenty seven holes golf course.