Non-conforming use: Top cop seeks a year’s time to relocate office

CDA asks Islamabad, motorway police to shift their offices

ISLAMABAD: The capital’s top cop has sought one year’s time for shifting his head office from residential area to a purpose built facility.

In response to a letter written by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) chairman, the inspector-general (IG) of police has maintained that the police be given at least one year’s time until the completion of the new building in sector G-11/4 to shift the office currently housed in Sector F-7/1, says a report submitted by the civic agency to the Supreme Court regarding the illegal use of houses for commercial purposes.

According to the report CDA Chairman Maroof Afzal had asked the inspectors-general of the police and the motorways to shift their offices from residential units.

The CDA also submitted that its operation against the non-conforming use of residential units is ongoing. Till date, the authority claims to have sealed 123 premises.

In the matter of private schools set up in residential houses, a status quo has been granted by the Islamabad High Court. The CDA said it had already submitted an application to get the stay order vacated, and that another application had been submitted for the early hearing of the case.

Regarding the shifting of foreign embassies located in residential areas, as well as barricades erected by these missions in front of houses, the matter has been taken up with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the report added.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 10^th, 2016.