Possible demolition: Bahria Enclave residents, investors hold protest

State minister for interior taking U-turn on size of encroached area from 33,000 kanals to 125 kanals

ISLAMABAD: Residents, investors and members of Bahria Enclave staged a peaceful protest outside National Press Club against Capital Development Authority’s expected action.

Overseas Pakistanis who had invested in the project were also among the protestors.

The protestors said that Minister of State for Interior Shehryar Afridi had told a press conference that 33,000 kanals land of Bahria Enclave was encroached hence illegal. However, the protesters said, the total area of Bahria Enclave was 23,000 kanal.

Afridi then said that encroached area was 510 kanals and now in the end he was saying that encroached area was 125 kanals.

They said that CDA did the demarcation of Bahria Enclave in 2011. The present area of Bahria Enclave was included in CDA demarcation and there was no wrongdoing on part of Bahria Town.

The CDA was on board when Bahria Enclave was being constructed.

The excess area identified has been fully paid for by the Bahria Town, or land of same size has been ceded to CDA, but the authority is not accepting that.

According to the protesters, where were all the civic authorities when the Bahria Enclave was being constructed. They said that they have made full payments of their properties and were the owners of the land and not the Bahria Town.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 10^th, 2018.