PM Imran among 200 to file for regularisation

IMC to adopt CDA service regulations, accounting rules for three months

ISLAMABAD: Following directives from the Supreme Court, Prime Minister Imran Khan along with 200 residents of the Bani Gala area of the federal capital have submitted applications to the top civic body to regularise their residences.

Imran has submitted documents pertaining to his property and a map of the residence to the Capital Development Authority’s (CDA) one-window officer to regularise it.

Imran’s application is split into two parts. The first part is regarding regularisation of his residence which is shown to be spread over 250 kanals of land. The second part is for a building built on the property to house guests on his property.

The applications were submitted after CDA began the process of regularising illegal construction in Bani Gala – parts of which fall under Zone-IV of the capital.

The CDA has set a fine of Rs100 per square feet as the regularisation fees for private residences while commercial buildings will have to pay Rs200 per square foot as fine to regularise their buildings. Moreover, the CDA has set Rs3,500 per square feet as the development charges for commercial land. This will be charged separately.

In May 2017, after Prime Minister Imran had urged the Supreme Court to take action against unchecked illegal construction and encroachment in Bani Gala, the CDA and the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration had submitted to the court that there were as many as 122 illegal constructions in the area, including a portion of Imran’s sprawling mansion.

However, the CDA is now aiming to regularise all of Zone IV which also includes the suburban areas of Khanna, Tarlai and the rural areas of the capital such as Malot, Pind Begwal and Maira Begwal. This, the civic body hopes will raise around a billion rupees in regularisation fees alone.

Last month, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar, while hearing the case, had directed that PM Imran should set an example for others by becoming the first to submit his documents for regularisation.

IMC adopts service regulation

Separately, the Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation (IMC) has approved the adoption of CDA’s (Employees) Service Regulation 1992, and the CDA Financial and Accounting Procedures.

The measures were approved during the 28th session of the corporation on Monday. The measures, though, have been initially approved for a period of three months because the IMC lacks service regulations apart from financial and accounting procedures of its own.

The IMC also adopted a schedule for the establishment of and the approval of IMC’s rules, an official said, adding that the IMC will be trying to frame its rules and regulations within three months.

If the IMC fails to draft and adopt the rules within the stipulated time, the elected city representatives will decide whether to extend the CDA rules for another three more months or not, he said.

Anti-encroachment operation

The CDA and the ICT carried out a joint operation against illegal encroachment and construction spread over a 1.5 kilometre stretch on the right-of-way of the Grand Trunk Road from Tarnol railway crossing towards Peshawar.

As a result of the operation, the CDA claimed to have retrieved around 250 kanals of state land from illegal encroachers and occupants.



Heavy machinery of the CDA and two excavators of the National Highway Authority (NHA) demolished around 150 illegal stores, 20 rooms, seven roadside eateries, 30 sheds, five kiosks, 10 fruit stalls, a wood stall, eight chicken shops, 10 samosa stalls, 10 waste recyclers, six hotels, two service stations, three containers and 10 boundary walls — two of which were built over more than 10 kanals of state land –were completely demolished.

The operations saw CDA Enforcement Director Faheem Badshah, ICT Assistant Commissioner Saad Bin Asad and relevant officers and staff of the ICT, NHA, officers of the Planning Wing, Land and Rehabilitation Directorate, Revenue staff of ICT participate. A heavy contingent of police including Counter Terrorism Force and Anti-Riot Unit of the ICT Police with backup from the paramilitary Rangers were deployed to cater to any unpleasant situation developing.

WITH ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM APP 

Published in The Express Tribune, November 20^th, 2018.