'State failed to give rights to citizens,' IHC remarks in land compensation case

Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Athar Minallah said on Friday that the state has failed in giving rights to its citizens.

The IHC CJ's observation came while hearing the case of non-payment of compensation to victims of different villages in the federal capital.

He remarked during the hearing that the Capital Development Authority (CDA) had failed to satisfy the court, adding that the non-payment of recognized compensation to the victims was a violation of constitutional rights.

The court maintained that CDA Chairperson Captain (retd) Muhammad Usman should explain why the victims had not been compensated yet.

During the hearing, the victims complained that even their children had grown up now, and have nowhere to go without the compensation.

Read Land compensation: Pending case resolution, IHC attaches CDA accounts

The IHC chief justice said that the issue was quite serious, but is being treated like a normal case. He further expressed his dismay over the fact that the lands were taken 40 years ago by the CDA, which has since allotted 22,000 plots to its chairman and its members but has failed to compensate the victims, going against court orders.

“Those who lost their lands have been given nothing in return. Do you want us to initiate contempt of court proceedings against the CDA chairman?” the chief justice asked.

He further said that it appeared that the authority was busy serving someone else.

The court summoned CDA Chief Captain (retd) Muhammad Usman and the next hearing and adjourned it till September 16.