islamabad - The state institutions are all set for the second round of anti-encroachment drive in the capital city to end encroachment and retrieve state land from the illegal occupants, background interaction with the officials suggests.
The officials at the Capital Development Authority said that the new government seems determined in taking action against land mafia. During a three-day drive last week, the CDA officials demolished encroachments and illegal construction on the right of way of Kashmir Highway. Several encroachments, buildings and constructions which were found in violation of CDA Building regulations were also razed. During this operation, several acres of land was retrieved. Member Estate, CDA Khushal Khan, Deputy Commissioner Islamabad Muhammad Hamza Shafqat, SSP Operations Najeeb ur Rehman Bugvi, Director Enforcement Faheem Badshah, Director Building Control Section, Director MPO, officers of ICT Administration including Assistant Commissioners, officers of Islamabad Police and officers of concerned formations of CDA remained present on the occasion. The operation was participated by more than around 350 officials of the Enforcement and other concerned formations while heavy contingent of Islamabad police, rangers and Counter Terrorism Force officials maintained law and order during the drive.
The operation hit 25 constructions, Golden Horse Marquee, Regalian Marquee, Occasions Marquee, Rohtaas Marquee, four sheds, one under construction building, one steel workshop, four markets, one newly-constructed building, global enterprises, Islamabad Auction, motor workshops, Waziristan Market comprising upon many small shops, wood factory and five residential houses constructed on the right of the way of the Kashmir Highway. Minister of State for Interior, Shehryar Khan Afridi visited the operation site.
The seriousness on part of the officials and the government functionaries suggests that the government would not bow down against the encroachers. In past, political pressures and expediency stopped the officials whenever they carried out a large-scale operation against the illegal occupation of the state land.
A senior official at the Enforcement directorate of the CDA told this scribe that the next round of the drive may hit big land mafias who have illegally occupied acres of the state land. “There is unanimity among the officials and government functionaries that the CDA should go all out against the encroachments and illegal occupation of the state land,” he added. He hinted a major crackdown against the housing societies which have occupied state land, saying the government is considering retrieving state land worth billions of rupees from illegal occupants.
Minister of State for Interior, Shaharyar Khan Afridi, over the past few days visited several areas where state land had been occupied. Deputy Commissioner Islamabad and other high ups also accompanied him to brief on the issue.
On Friday also, Afridi visited Kurri Road along with officials of the district administration to see progress on demarcation and retrieval of the state land. The site was just the entry of a private housing society. The officials said that a comprehensive strategy would be evolved for the operation in the coming days.