ISLAMABAD:
City police officials may be set to become lawful residents of apartments belonging to the Ministry of Housing, which they occupied illegally about three years ago.
Islamabad High Court has disposed off a petition filed by dozens of low ranking police officials for stopping the authorities from removing them from the illegally occupied flats in favour of the petitioners. According to police officials, the petition also seeks subsequent allotment of official residences for the occupants.
The court directed the Estate Department to accommodate the petitioners in the same manner as other police officials. The order meant security for over ninety cops who have been living, some with their families, in the flats located in Aabpara for over three years.
The flats were occupied when they were temporarily provided to the Anti-Riot Squad of Islamabad police and Punjab Constabulary officials in 2007. These officials were called in to help Islamabad Administration maintain law and order in the pre and post days of the Lal Masjid military-operation.
However, a majority of the anti-riot police officials refused to vacate the flats after their job was done. Later, they were also joined by constables and Assistant Sub-Inspectors, who moved in with their families. A total of 92 police officials were residing in more than 150 flats.
When pressed by senior police authorities to vacate the flats, the occupying officials filed a petition with LHC (Rawalpindi Bench) against their seniors. The high court issued a stay order protecting the occupants from expulsion. The officials refused to vacate until alternative residence was provided to them.
Both Ministry of Housing and Islamabad Police could not take any action against them until a court decision. However, they tried to persuade the occupying officials in many ways but in vain.
A Ministry of Interior official told The Express Tribune that the ministry had agreed to provide at least one of the four-stories of the building to police officials until they were given alternative official residences.
“The police high-ups were not in favour of vacating the flats and played a double game with the Ministry of Housing’ the official claimed. A police officer maintained that the police department had no alternative arrangement for the illegal occupants.
“Barracks are being built in the Police Lines Headquarters but their completion will take time,” he added. After the officials refused to vacate the flats, their seniors directed police headquarters not to pressure the occupants.
The intention was to strengthen their bargaining position on a proposed residential scheme for police and get the funds for the scheme released as early as possible, claimed a police official on conditions of anonymity.
“We cannot find affordable residence in the city except at the outskirts but commuting from there everyday is a nuisance,” said a police constable who lives in one of the flats.
Police officials living in the flats said that they were not the lone occupants - some Capital Development Authority officials were also occupying more than 50 flats in the building.
Senior police officials said they had not received any details of the court order till the filing of this report. Neither had they received any communication from the Estate Department in this regard.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 16th, 2011.
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