Sector E12 allottees seek contempt action against CDA

[Salman]

* Cite non-implementation of court order by authority for development of residential sector

* Over 5,000 allottess still awaiting possession of land they’ve already paid for

By Hasnaat Malik

ISLAMABAD: The people who had been allotted plots in the sector E12 of the federal capital have appealed to Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry to initiate contempt of court proceedings against the Capital Development Authority (CDA) officers for not complying with the court’s two-year-old decision regarding the development of the sector.

Despite the orders of the Supreme Court to develop the sector, the CDA has yet to make any progress in this regard. Sector E12’s residential unit was launched in 1970s to provide around 5,000 housing units to citizens. Land acquisition began soon and sale of plots was announced in 1984.

In January 2010, Nayyar Manzoor, a senior citizen, wrote an application to the CJP for the development of the sector. The chief justice took notice and in September 2010 the court ordered the CDA to submit a progress report about sector E12 to the court. The deputy director (rehabilitation) on behalf of the CDA assured the apex court that CDA would start paying compensation to the affected landowners within a month’s time (November 2010) after completion of a few formalities.

The CDA had also assured the court that Rs 10 million would be issued to member estate for onward payment to the landowners to start development work. “A dedicated team of officers be constituted which should pursue this issue on emergency basis with landowners and to ensure payment of compensation to affected landowners, thus retrieving the possession of land at the earliest possible. Chairman CDA to personally monitor working of this team and also furnish a fortnightly report to the cabinet division,” the authority told the court.

Yasir Mahmood, who owns a five-marla plot in E12, revealed to Daily Times that despite all the assurances given to the Supreme Court, CDA successive managements had been defying the court decision and the matter was still in limbo for the last two years. He requested the CJP to take notice of the non-compliance of the court’s order about the development of sector E12 sector, so that he could construct his house there.

Another allottee, Nayyar Manzoor, said, “I have paid around Rs 1.2 million to the authority since 1990 and it was through balloting that I was allotted a corner plot measuring around 500 square yards but it was never allotted to me in all these years.” The petitioner requested possession of the plot allotted to him in the sector by CDA for early construction of his house. However, despite having being allotted the plot in 1987, he is yet to get a letter of possession for it.

Brig ® Rehman Abbasi, who owns a 1000-square-yard plot in E12, said: “I have paid all the dues to the authority as per their demands but it was wastage of money since I have no home because of the CDA’s poor management to takeover the land and announce an award for the locals holding the land and clear it from any adverse or illegal possession.” Over five thousand people are still waiting for the possession of the land for which they have already paid the CDA. “None of these could be materialised and the court directives were not implemented by the authority in letter and spirit,” said an official of the CDA, not willing to share his name.