Increasing encroachments pose big challenge to new head of CDA Enforcement Directorat

[Salman]

Islamabad

The phenomenon of encroachments in and around Islamabad poses a big challenge to new head of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) Enforcement Directorate.

Working in the CDA Enforcement Directorate has always been difficult for a newcomer, particularly when encroachers continue to prosper in connivance with some officials.

Newly-Appointed Director Enforcement Captain ® Shahbaz Tahir previously had performed duties as assistant commissioner Islamabad but he might not be aware of activities of his new subordinates who focus on minting ‘bhatta’ instead of taking action against illegal occupants of the government land.

The terms like ‘bhatta’ and ‘targeted operation’ are linked with Karachi but the same activity could be witnessed in the federal capital also. So much so, the 'targeted operations' against legal licence holders are undertaken under supervision of illegal occupants of CDA land whether they are running kiosks, tea stalls or hotels. The Enforcement Wing, led by inspectors, are seemingly busy against legal licence holders of kiosks and tea stalls in sectors G-6, G-7 and G-8.

An official of the Encroachment Directorate, requesting not to be named, said that they have not been able to take action against corrupt elements for various reasons. He said that no big or small operation against encroachments could be undertaken without permission of the seniors, including member, director, deputy director or at least assistant directors. But enforcement inspectors, carry out operations on daily basis with other purpose. “The purpose is well known which is minting money or harassing those who do not give them ‘bhatta,’ a licence holder of CDA who is doing business in Sector G-6 and faces raid from Enforcement Wing once or twice a month. He said that there are some inspectors who favour illegal occupants of land and harass legal ones.

However, it has been learnt that the new director enforcement has been assigned the task of paying more attention on retrieval of land around Islamabad and take action against big encroachers in urban area.