40 years on, E-12 allottees wait for plots

Even though the scheme had been launched nearly 40 years ago, some allottees of Sector E-12 have yet to be provided possession of their property.

This was disclosed during the meeting of a sub-committee of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the parliament on Tuesday. Chaired by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) lawmaker Riaz Fatyana, the sub-committee reviewed audit objections and paras of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and the Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation (IMC) for the fiscal year 2017-18.

During the hearing, the panel learnt that Sector E-12 in the federal capital had been launched in 1982.

Audit officials said that there were a few sectors in the federal capital where the development work could not be started even though they were launched decades ago.

At this, CDA Chairman Amir Ahmed said that the authority did not have possession of the land in Sector E-12 throughout this time. It was only recently, he explained, that the authority got the possession of it and a project concept-I (PC) for the project has been approved.

Additionally, he said that Sector I-15 had been built 15 years ago while CDA is still working on developing its sub-sectors.

Committee member Sheikh Rohale Asghar of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) asked what crime did the person who bought a plot in these areas in 1992 - ten years after the launch of the sector. He further asked the authority if it will charge development fees from such individuals as per the rates in 1992 or what they are now.

The CDA chairman clarified that they are not charging additional fees, adding that the authority has already kicked off development work in different sectors.

Similarly, Ahmed said that development work in Park Enclave-II has begun while the construction of houses in Park Enclave–I have also started.

PTI’s Munaza Hassan said that the CDA uses public money for its expenditures. Accusing the authority of only working for its benefit, she said that people keep making rounds of CDA’s office just to get their work done.

Further, the audit officials briefed the panel regarding issues in the change of design of a flyover in the federal capital. Hassan said that the matter should be probed.

The committee chairman directed the audit officials to trace those responsible and to submit an inquiry report in a month.

Fatyana summoned a report from the interior ministry on measures taken to ensure public safety.

The committee further directed the CDA to complete development work in Sector E-12 within a year and hand over possession of plots in 18 months.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 11^th, 2020.