ISLAMABAD-In a positive move, the Moroccan government is going to build a mosque in Park Enclave-I - a residential project of the Capital Development Authority (CDA).
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs had forwarded a request of Moroccan government through its Embassy to the CDA. The Moroccan government will construct this mosque as token of brotherhood and cordial relations between the governments and people of both countries.
The mosque would be built in Moroccan style and would be a masterpiece. The CDA has already allocated 11 kanals of land in the Park Enclave-I for the construction of mosque.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs has asked the CDA to identify the site to the mosque and provide site possession, as well as the title and other details for the construction of the mosque so that Moroccan government could be informed accordingly.
The move is appreciable as most of the plots to construct mosques in residential sectors of CDA had been illegally occupied by private individuals, leaving capital’s administration in trouble while regulating such mosques.
In routine practice, when old dwellers evacuate any area in result of acquisition by the CDA, the new allottees start living in sectors developed on the same land.
Generally, during this transitional phase, the plots meant for mosques are occupied by outsiders even before growth of any population in the area. These occupants of mosques’ plots are mostly strangers as they are neither old inhabitants nor new allottees.
There is no command and control of local people in the administration of such mosques as when they construct their houses, a mosque is already built up by others in the same area. Forceful occupation of mosque plots in underdeveloped sectors is no secret anymore. Every sect is in a hurry to grab maximum plots so there are temporary structures present in those sectors even before development.
The occupation of plots for mosque is also being facilitated by some foreign elements by providing funding on sectarian grounds, which is a question for law enforcement agencies as no watchdog is there to ask them that how such huge buildings could be constructed without local funding.
The Directorate of Urban Planning CDA had proposed a policy in 2017 for allotment and regularisation of mosque plots to end the monopoly of stranger elements, but the same could not be presented before the board due to extensive pressure of religious groups.