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Constructions on Islamabad farm houses - Salman - 05-20-2013 12:23 PM
The Supreme Court of Pakistan, in 2007, directed the CDA to launch an operation against the owners of the farmhouses who misused the agricultural lands. Then, in November 2012, the Supreme Court directed the same.
The court directed the CDA chairman "to take personal interest by strictly adhering to rules and regulations prevailing at the time when allotments were made in favour of the affected people of Islamabad and restore the original status of the farmhouses in the interest of the general public."
There is a long list of high-ups who were allotted farmhouses. These include Musharraf, politicians and members of the media. The question is: under what criteria these lands were allotted to these highly influential persons? None of them deserve allotment of these lands on pure merit basis. None of them belong to the relevant business community. These lands, in fact, should have been auctioned in the open market for the persons interested in the agricultural field.
It is an open example of the then government's corruption. Moreover, a number of high-ups were involved in violating the law. Several highly influential persons made desperate efforts to stop a thorough assessment of their farmhouses. The concerned judges, politicians, generals and members of the media allegedly resisted to provide them the required information. The basic purpose of these agro farms was to develop these lands and encourage the investors to grow fruits and vegetables and use them for poultry purposes. Unfortunately, the owners of these plots did not develop their lands following the terms and conditions of the government.
Leading lawyers Hafeez Pirzada, former Supreme Court Justice (retired) Javed Iqbal, former Lahore High Court Chief Justice (retired) Javed Iqbal, PML-Q chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Major General (retired) Syed Ali Hamid, Lieutenant General (retired) Nadeem Taj, former Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, former Senate Chairman Muhammad Mian Soomro, Senator Wasim Sajjad, former senator Dr.Shahzad Waseem, Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Raja Nadir Pervez, former Finance Secretary Moinuddin Khan and several other retired army officers, journalists and lawyers were among the violators of law. Several converted their agro-farmlands into majestic buildings or palaces.
The plots for agro-farms were allotted for the cultivation of fruit, vegetable and development of poultry, dairy, orchards and nurseries to meet the growing demand of food commodities in Islamabad. Unfortunately, magnificent buildings were erected on these agro-farmhouses.
It is pertinent to mention here that 504 farmhouses were allotted in the original lease deal. The farmhouses in Islamabad were supposed to be utilized for farming and poultry. Some of the farm owners ridiculed the agreement by constructing magnificent houses, just like palaces, and even marriage halls on the farmlands. The people belonging to the upper class liked to arrange marriage ceremonies in these agro farms. There should be an effective monitoring system to avoid such ceremonies at farmhouses.
Mushraf, in the division of the 'gifted,' land also got a five acre farmhouse in Chak Shahzad. A magnificent building has been erected here violating the agricultural farmhouses rules. It has five magnificent bedrooms, several lobbies and a swimming pool. The worth of the estimated structure is more than Rs300 million.
Supreme Court ordered to demolish illegal constructions at agricultural farm houses and restore their original status in Islamabad. Capital Development Authority, in compliance with the orders of the Supreme Court, took action against illegal constructions at farm houses located in Poultry and Vegetable Scheme. It sealed several farmhouses for violation of the laws and started demolishing buildings constructed in violation of CDA Building Bylaws. As expected, it faced severe resistance.
The action against unauthorized constructions was full of danger. The CDA team came under attack as it reached Chak Shahzad and other places to demolish illegal constructions on the premises against the building by-laws. It is stated that when CDA team started the operation against the illegal constructions the owners of the farmhouses resisted the operation. They even refused to open the gates. The owners, in general, misbehaved the team and fired bullets to obstruct the officials in performing their official duties. In consequence, police help was sought to demolish the illegal constructions in the farmhouses. Finally, additional illegal structures were also demolished. The owners, along with their companions, resisted and threatened the police and CDA staff for dire consequences.
Basically, as mentioned earlier, these farmhouses were allotted for the cultivation of fruit, vegetable and poultry etc. These owners of the farmhouses were not utilizing the agro farms for the production of food commodities. Moreover, according to law construction on farm houses should not exceed the defined limit of 12,500 square feet. Several plot owners violated this law. Naturally, CDA cancelled the allotment of several agro farmhouses in Poultry and vegetable Schemes as per Supreme Court orders.
Several notices were issued to the owners for violation of terms and conditions of agreement and several agro farmhouses' owners were fined. The CDA succeeded to demolish illegal structures of several farmhouses while some owners of agro houses got stay orders from the courts.
It is reported that high-ups tried their best to make amendments in the rules and regulations but could not succeed. They failed to accommodate influential people. It may be interesting to note that, at one stage, the CDA too tried to give shelter to these highly influential persons. It also tried to make law an ass but failed in its efforts. The CDA member (planning) Mustafa Kazmi, made a summary to reduce the covered area of farmhouses from the existing 10,000 square feet to 5,000 square-foot. It was discarded by the court. The court held that intention mala fide. "This is not the job of the CDA to stretch rules to extend relaxation, compromise or facilitate influential people," the CJP observed.
It is right time to take stern action, without any discrimination, against the owners of the agro farmhouses violating CDA by-laws. Moreover, several influential persons, including technocrats, politicians and journalists etc. do not deserve these plots on merit basis. It is hoped that agro farmhouses would be sealed and finally resaled at the market rate through open auction for the same purpose.
The action against unauthorized constructions was full of danger. The CDA team came under attack as it reached Chak Shahzad and other places to demolish illegal constructions on the premises against the building by-laws. It is stated that when CDA team started the operation against the illegal constructions the owners of the farmhouses resisted the operation. They even refused to open the gates. The owners, in general, misbehaved the team and fired bullets to obstruct the officials in performing their official duties. In consequence, police help was sought to demolish the illegal constructions in the farmhouses. Finally, additional illegal structures were also demolished. The owners, along with their companions, resisted and threatened the police and CDA staff for dire consequences. Basically, as mentioned earlier, these farmhouses were allotted for the cultivation of fruit, vegetable and poultry etc. These owners of the farmhouses were not utilizing the agro farms for the production of food commodities. Moreover, according to law construction on farm houses should not exceed the defined limit of 12,500 square feet. Several plot owners violated this law. Naturally, CDA cancelled the allotment of several agro farmhouses in Poultry and vegetable Schemes as per Supreme Court order