Reclaiming space: Report sought on GDA encroachment drive

Court informed 65km of road cleared of illegally-constructed buildings .

PESHAWAR:

The Peshawar High Court has ordered the Galiyat Development Authority (GDA) to submit a detailed report regarding action taken against encroachment in Galiyat. The issue was highlighted by a National Accountability Bureau (NAB) investigation report earlier.

A bench comprising Justice Yahya Afridi and Justice Musarrat Hilali issued the order on Monday while hearing a case against the construction of multi-storeyed buildings and encroachments in Galiyat.

At the hearing, GDA Director General (DG) Syed Nazar Hussain and Director Muhammad Tufail appeared before the bench and showed video recordings of buildings they demolished. The court was informed by the GDA that it has started action and so far cleared nearly 65 kilometres of road space by demolishing buildings constructed against the GDA Act.

DG Hussain said they have demolished several markets, hotels, shops and houses violating the building act. However, he added, there were some buildings which are owned by highly influential people who are creating problems for the authority.

“The district administration and police are barely helping in removing the encroachment,” said the director general.

NAB Prosecutor Azim Dad Khan told the bench the bureau prepared a report which identifies buildings constructed in violation of the rules. This report was prepared after the bureau was issued directives by the Peshawar High Court.

Subsequently, the court ordered the GDA to also prepare a comprehensive report in light of NAB’s investigation. The authority was told to present the report at the next court hearing scheduled for September 22.

The GDA was also told to continue its anti-encroachment operation against the illegal buildings.

Court orders 

On November 7, 2013 former chief justice Dost Muhammad Khan banned the allotment of plots in Galiyat to any housing society without the permission of the court. The decision was taken after a report presented by NAB revealed a number of plots had been illegally allotted.

The NAB report had revealed there was no ‘master plan’ for the construction of buildings in the area and most of the houses have violated building and construction laws. It claimed these houses were acquired by retired policemen and army officials, ministers, senators and other influential people.

According to the NAB report, 42 buildings were constructed without following the law in Galiyat.

At a November 2013 hearing, a two-member division bench of Justice Dost Muhammad Khan and Justice Qaiser Rashid Khan had issued the order (banning allotment of housing schemes) with directives to the chief minister to form a cabinet committee for investigating the matter.  As per the orders, the committee should comprise ministers for forest, environment, irrigation, public health, communication and works, local government and the director general of the GDA.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 16^th, 2014.a