Bahria Town’s illegal kiosk demolished

[Salman]

ISLAMABAD: Following court orders, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has demolished a kiosk established illegally by Bahria Town in front of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS).
“The CDA Enforcement Division demolished the ‘Bahria Ka Dastarkhwan’ on court orders,” an official of the civic body told Daily Times on the condition of anonymity, as he was not authorised to talk to the media on the issue.
The official further informed that during the PPP government, about 300 kiosks were allocated by the CDA in different parts of the capital. On April 2, the CDA informed the Islamabad High Court (IHC) that it had cancelled the licence issued to Bahria Town for running its food distribution outlet outside PIMS.
When Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui took up identical petitions filed against encroachments, CDA Enforcement Wing Director Naveedul Haq said the authority had also cancelled the licences for the establishment of 450 kiosks near Faizabad.
The official further said that the CDA on March 27 issued notice to the organisers of the facility outside PIMS and gave them a week to demolish the illegal structure. The court was assured that if the structure was not razed by April 2, the CDA would demolish it.
The Blue Area plot worth billions of rupees in front of PIMS hospital’s main gate had temporarily been handed over to a local journalist in 2009, but he later transferred it to Bahria Town administration.
During the hearing, the court also observed that under CDA rules the allotment was not transferable. It had directed the CDA chairman to constitute a committee to probe under what circumstances the plot had been transferred to the other party.
A majority of the CDA officials had refused to give statement on record when asked why the kiosk was allotted to the property contracting company during the PPP-led government.
However, an official in the CDA said they would soon launch a campaign to “take care of” such illegal structures, adding that a list had also been prepared in this regard.
The official said police and security agencies had also pointed out a number of kiosks issued to PPP jiyalas during the last five years that needed to be demolished, as most of them were located close to sensitive buildings. He said a report on the demolition of illegal establishments would be submitted to the court this week.