Authorities push ahead with plans to clear Islamabad of slums

[Salman]

Authorities push ahead with plans to clear Islamabad of slums

ISLAMABAD: Security concerns and judicial activism have spurred the city managers to rid Islamabad of katchi abadis, or slums, in real earnest.

Officials of the concerned departments met at the highest level on Friday to plan the task, which the Capital Development Authority (CDA), the police and the local administration had been reluctant to undertake for fear of igniting a backlash by slum dwellers.

Though the participants and their departments were not willing to disclose what they decided, Dawn has learnt that the CDA would first secure satellite images of Islamabad to know the locations and growth of slums in the city from 2005 to date.

That would also help the authorities pin down the officials whose responsibility was to prevent encroachment of state land and illegal settlements during those nine years.

It seems the remark of Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui of the Islamabad High Court the previous day that katchi abadis constituted illegal occupation of land, and directed the CDA to clear all of them gave spine to the current establishment to go after the slums.

An official emerging from the meeting held at CDA headquarters observed that the issue of slums was not just about “ugly spots” on Islamabad’s fair image.

“There are certain security concerns and troubling information by the secret agencies which call for action,” he said.

Another official said: “The basic idea in having the satellite imageries is to assess the growth pattern and the clusters of katchi abadis in the city”.

Apart from the operation against the katchi abadis, the CDA is said to have decided to take action against its officials who had the task to keep a vigil on unauthorised constructions and settlements in the city.

“We are not publicising the contents of Friday’s meeting because many of those involved in facilitating the growth of katchi abadis would start lobbying to save their skins,” explained a senior official of the CDA.

However, complications in the CDA system are likely to save the officials from persecution.

CDA’s Enforcement Directorate is responsible for keeping the city clear of all illegal construction. But for most part of the last decade, the post of Deputy Director Vigilance in the directorate has remained vacant or filled by any officer holding acting charge.

Acting director enforcement Mohammad Iqbal, however, defended his department and blamed mainly the Environment Wing of CDA for the mess.

“Basically the katchi abadis emerged on the green belts, forest land and areas along the streams and the Environment Wing should keep a check over it,” he said.

Apart from two directorates East and West for the city, the Environment Wing has one directorate for Margalla Hills and even has an Environment Protection Cell to protect the land and the landscape.

Meanwhile, the All Pakistan Alliance for Katchi Abadis has planned protest demonstrations and a sit-in outside the National Press Club on April 23, the same day the interior secretary, commissioner Islamabad, the police chiefs and CDA chairman meet again to push ahead with their slums clearing plans.

“We want to talk to the CDA and help them find a solution to the issue. They are mistaken if they think 12 katchi abadis can be demolished just like that,” said Asim Sajjad, senior member, Awami Workers Party (AWP) and a supporter of katchi abadi alliance.