Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) Board is going to consider today (Friday) a policy containing various proposals about management of mosques in existing and new sectors.

The policy has been pending in the office of CDA Board since February, 2017. So far, Islamabad Mayor Shaikh Ansar Aziz has been reluctant to bring the policy on agenda fearing backlash from religious groups.

“The summary is now going to be discussed in today’s meeting. However, there is unlikely to be any positive development on it. Most likely, it will be deferred,” a source privy to the issue told Daily Times on condition of anonymity.

“In routine practice, when the original owners of an area evacuate it as a result of its acquisition by the CDA for development, sectors are developed on the same land. Generally, during this transitional phase, the plots meant for mosque are occupied by ‘outsiders’, even before the growth of any population in the area. These occupants are neither natives of the areas, nor new allotees,” CDA officials said.

“Forceful occupation of these plots meant for mosque in new sectors is a frequently-used tactic. Followers of various sects are in a hurry to grab the maximum plots. They start putting up temporary structures on these plots even when no other resident has yet started living in the sector,” officials said.

The CDA Directorate of Urban Planning had proposed a policy for the allotment and regularisation of mosque plots to deal with these issues. It was filed to become an agenda in the board’s previous meetings.

Currently, there are four types of mosques in Islamabad: mosques built on approved sites whose possession was handed over to management committees after following the proper procedure; mosques built on approved sites, but being managed without any official permission; mosques built on unapproved sites without permission; and fourthly, mosques that existed in villages before their acquisition by the CDA and are still in use.

The proposed policy suggests that after the growth of sufficient population, the planned sites should be allotted to a management committee, comprising allottees or permanent residents of the area, through the Islamabad Capital Territory’s (ICT) Auqaf Directorate.

The proposed policy further suggests that unauthorised mosques should also be regularised under the same formula.

Another suggestion, which is unlikely to be approved, is that structures built illegally should be removed with the assistance of the ICT.

In case of an old mosque, the present structure might be retained until the sector is developed. A no objection certificate (NOC) might be issued for installation of service connections, but it will not be used to claim any right or regularisation.

The policy also suggests allotting new plots for mosques keeping in view the need of the locality on unutilised land of the CDA. “Furthermore, the policy also suggests allowing the construction of multiple floors as well as basements in mosques,” officials said.

These proposals are for dealing with problems in developed sectors. “For future sectors, the policy proposes that the authority should itself build mosques and then hand them over to management committees through the Auqaf Directorate as was done in the case of Park Enclave,” officials said.