ISLAMABAD - Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) and the Capital Development Authority (CDA) have apparently agreed that above 1709 acres land was allotted to the university, Thursday.
Though the officials from the university and CDA agreed upon the actual area allotted to the university was above 1709acres, they also approved that the university has to pay 17 years of outstanding annual rent to the CDA. Officials informed The Nation that QAU administration and Capital Development Authority (CDA) have come up with different claims regarding area of the land allotted to the university. Officials said that in the mid of the anti-encroachment drive at QAU the conflicting claim from both sides began creating hindrance in the operation.
Officials said that the university administration had claimed with the help of documents that it was allotted 1709acres, 4 kanals and 12 marlas land originally in 1967-72. However, the actual land handed over to the university was 1557 acres. The university administration referring to the Survey of Pakistan (SoP) demarcation carried in 2017 claimed that the university was facing a shortfall of around 450 acres land in total. Out of the total shortfall 298 acres were occupied by the encroachers. Meanwhile, Capital Development Authority had claimed that the land allotted to QAU was 1445 acres and was possessing 112 acres more than it was allotted to the university. Officials said that contesting claims and the documents from both sides were creating hurdles in the operation and the university administration was unhappy with the city administration. “A three-party committee was formed to address the issue and verify the actual area of the land that QAU was allotted,” an official said.
According to the official, the meeting presided by minister of state for interior Shehryar Afridi formed a 3-party committee to give the details of the land allotted to QAU. The meeting was attended by PM’s special assistant on CDA Ali Nawaz Awan and local PTI MNAs.
It was decided in the meeting that a 3-party committee comprising of QAU, CDA and ICT will present a report regarding how much actual land belonged to QAU along with data of the encroached land. According to the document of the Directorate of the Estate Management-II CDA the university administration, CDA and Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration held a meeting to discuss the matter and determined actual area of the land.
As per minutes, the meeting was attended by Vice Chancellor (VC) QAU Prof. Dr. Muhammad Ali, president Academic Staff Association (ASA) QAU Dr. Aqeel Bukhari, Dr. Ishtiaq Ali, secretary general ASA Dr. Sohail Yusuf, QAU Engineer Bakht Rehman, official estate management –II Capital Development Authority Noor Akhmat, ICT Administration tehsildar Muhammad Awais Khan, Muhmmad Ashfaq estate officer QAU, security officer QAU Mazhar Hussain and A/xen QAU Muhammad Sajid, A/XEN. The document said that as per the record regarding QAU land was reconciled between the QAU and Estate management Capital Development Authority. Noor Akhmat, Estate management CDA inform the meeting that in 1976 a piece of land 1709 acres 4 kanals and 12 marlas was allotted to QAU. In 1988, the CDA reduced the allotment to 1445.10 acres. But in 1991 the original land of 1709 acres was restored on payment of the balance amount by QAU. Thus the QAU has made full payment for 1709 acres 4 kanal and 12 marlas to CDA. Furthermore, the university has also paid Annual Ground Rent (AGR) for 1709 acres 4 kanals and 12 marla up to 2001, while AGR for the period of 2001 to 2018 is still outstanding. Joint Action Committee (JAC) has appreciated reconciliation of l709 acres land of QAU) teeming it positive steps. JAC hoped that now after consensus over total area of land between Capital Development Authority and QAU administration, now concrete practical steps will be undertaken by the concerned government departments to hand over compete 1709 acres QAU land and removal of encroachments on 298 acres land of QAU land.
