Tearing down slums: Five CDA staffers injured during clean-up operation

Residents of the shacks pelted stones at CDA staff, protested at Peshawar Mor.

ISLAMABAD:

At least five officials from the Capital Development Authority (CDA) Enforcement Directorate sustained injuries during an operation carried out to clear a small katchi abadi in Sector H-9/2. The Christian residents claimed to have moved there from Mehrabadi following the Rimsha Masih case.

The authority kicked off an operation on Tuesday morning and razed 10 illegally constructed structures in the katchi abadi. Following the operation, around 150 members of the affected families gathered at Peshwar Mor and blocked the main intersection for all kind of traffic. Later, they dispersed peacefully.

“CDA officials tortured our women and children and ransacked furniture despite the fact the Islamabad High Court has granted a stay order in our favour,” Kamran Gill, 42, alleged.

He claimed the “Akram Masih Katchi Abadi” was established in H-9/2 by Christian families who left their homes fearing for their lives and property after the Rimsha Masih case occurred.

However, a CDA officer who took part in the operation claimed that the residents are not from Mehrabadi and are “opportunists who grabbed land” and were only claiming to be from Mehrabadi to gain sympathy.

According to a CDA press release, when the Enforcement Directorate started the operation, the occupants of the area pelted stones at CDA officials, resulting in serious injuries for five officials while many other officials received minor injuries.

The injured officials were shifted to hospital for treatment. Islamabad Police Constable Siddique received serious head injuries and was still under treatment at hospital when this report was filed.

The CDA has lodged an FIR against the people responsible for injuring their workers.

CDA Chairman Tahir Shahbaz had instructed the Enforcement Directorate to carry out an operation against illegal occupants of CDA land in Sector H-9.

He said operations for the removal of encroachments would continue without any concession or discrimination.

The chairman also warned illegal occupants of CDA land to raze their structures, or risk having the authority take harsh action against the encroachments.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 10^th, 2013.