Claiming land in the name of God

83 mosques and seminaries built on encroached land, states ICT report.

ISLAMABAD: Wafaqul Madaris and other religious groups have built numerous mosques and seminaries (Madrassah) on the city’s land without obtaining permission.

According to a report prepared by the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), there are a total of 430 mosques and seminaries built in Islamabad, out of which 83 are on encroached land.

Deputy Director General Planning Capital Development Authority (CDA) Sarwar Sindhu told The Express Tribune that it was a sensitive issue as the encroaching religious groups had followers who quick to take to the streets.

He said that CDA had allocated land in every sector for mosques but religious groups were constructing more on unauthorised land. They were also expanding the buildings past permitted levels.

Wafaqul Madaris spokesperson Abdul Qadus said that CDA had not allocated land at “proper” locations.

“Many mosques have been built on the banks of dirty Nullahs which is unfair,” he said. When asked about the illegal construction, he replied, “We did not construct mosques and seminaries on occupied land, but snatched our right from CDA.”

According to the ICT report, some of the mosques and seminaries are established on roadsides, some on green belts and some have violated building laws of the CDA.

In some cases the CDA had allowed only two rooms for a mosque but the management constructed huge buildings.

According to a Capital Development Authority (CDA) official, stopping illegal construction and removing encroachments from state land is the responsibility of the authority’s enforcement directorate.

A senior official of the CDA’s enforcement directorate said the authority was hesitant about taking action because they feared reaction by religious clerics and students of different madrassahs.

He added that the builders of unauthorised mosques exploit religious sentiments to attaint personal gain, using worship houses as a cover to build residential accommodation for their families.

He explained that students of madrassahs are employed as a force to resist any action against the clergy.

When contacted, Deputy Commissioner Islamabad, Amir Ali Ahmad offered to provide magisterial support to the CDA if it launched an operation against such mosques.

The deputy commissioner said that land for a mosque has to be allocated by the CDA and cleared by police and intelligence agencies before it can be constructed within prescribed parameters.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 28^th, 2010.