Land shift jolts property owners

Federal capital reincorporates 42 mouza areas into its territorial limits

RAWALPINDI:

The District Magistrate of Islamabad has quietly re-incorporated 42 major mouza areas—including 13 densely populated union councils in Rawalpindi district and four cantonment wards in Murree district—into the territorial limits of Islamabad.

All property registrations—residential and commercial—relating to these areas, including those resold multiple times after their original ownership, have reportedly been cancelled. The number of affected property records is said to exceed 500,000.

The affected union councils and localities include both urban and rural, central and densely populated areas such as Shakrial, Ojri Kalan, Dhok Matkal, Dhok Hassu, Dhok Najju, Dhok Safu, Takht Pari, Gangal, Khanna Dak, Khanna Kak, Kotha Kalan I and II, Choohar Harpal, Seham, Dhok Noor, Bajniyal, Mughal, Chhatro, Shadi Dhamial, Mohra Ameer, Mohri Khambal, Neralah Kalan, Dena Hardo (urban and rural), Dawar, Sheikhpur, Lakho, Kak, Neralah, Famra, Barkat, Nogazi, Dhok Jhando, Pashwal, Budhana Khurd, Kerlout, Mangial, Chanari, Khattar, Dukhiyan, and Garthiyan.

The notification for the re-inclusion of these populations into Islamabad was issued on May 27, 2024 by the District Magistrate of Islamabad and subsequently approved by the Deputy Commissioner of Rawalpindi.

The District Magistrate Rawalpindi was also directed to hand over the complete land records of these mouzas, union councils, and wards to the Islamabad Collector.

However, for the past two years, the matter has remained confined to notifications, with no effective implementation. Meanwhile, property registrations in these areas continue to be processed at Rawalpindi's katcheri and tehsil offices, which, following the Islamabad Collector's notification, may be deemed unlawful.

Historically, these areas were part of Islamabad at the time of its establishment but were temporarily placed under Rawalpindi's administrative control for land management purposes. They have now been re-absorbed into Islamabad, as they lie contiguous to its boundaries.

According to sources in the Revenue Department, the Islamabad administration could assume control of these areas at any time. Residents holding newly registered properties may be treated as illegal occupants, and the administration could clear the land through operations similar in style to the Bhara Kahu (Bari Imam) clearance drive.