Daily Times

Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA), on the directives of the Director General (DG), Muhammad Saif Anwar Jappa, has geared up its ongoing operation against illegal housing schemes, said RDA spokesman Hafiz Irfan.

Talking to APP, he informed me that the RDA had issued notices to three illegal housing schemes, namely Shah-e-Khrasan at Mouza Chakra on Chakri Road, Imperial City at Mouza Sahang on Mandra-Chakwal Road, and Ring Road Town at Mouza Harka, Basali, near Chak Beli Khan Road, Rawalpindi.

The notices were issued to Saeed Rizvi, Masood Azmat, and Umar Awan, the owners of three illegal private housing schemes.

He informed that the Metropolitan Planning and Traffic Engineering (MP&TE) Directorate of RDA had also lodged FIRs against four illegal housing schemes: Kashmir View Residencia, Phase-I and II in Mouza Sanghori Satto, GB Valley in Mouza Singhori Satto, Natha Dolal, Sain Singhori in Mouza Singhori, and Pak Kashmir Housing Project in Mouza Pothi Bijnyal at Mandra-Chakwal Road in Tehsil Gujar Khan.

Cases were registered against the owners of four illegal housing schemes, namely Malik Tariq, Qazi Naveed, Sharif Khan, Sajid Chaudhry, Sajid Munir, Sardar Maqsood Khan, Sardar Awais, Chaudhry Seemab, and Yaoob, in Mandra police station, Tehsil Gujar Khan.

The Metropolitan Planning and Traffic Engineering (MP&TE) Directorate RDA had also issued notices, adding that the DG had directed the Director MP&TE to take action per the law against illegal advertisements and marketing. FIRs should also be lodged against the owners of illegal housing schemes, as the authorities were directed.

The spokesman informed us that the sponsors of illegal housing schemes were warned to stop marketing their unapproved and illicit housing projects.

Hafiz Irfan said that the citizens were advised not to invest in illegal housing schemes and asked to check the status of the schemes at the RDA’s official website, www.rda.gop.pk.

He informed me that the Planning Wing of RDA had also requested the Cyber Crime Wing of FIA to take legal action against illegal and misleading advertisements of unapproved housing schemes.

The spokesman said that with a NoC and approval from the RDA, launching a housing scheme, apartment project, commercial building, etc., within the controlled area of the RDA is legal. Advertisements, marketing, and development of such projects are also unlawful.

The spokesman further informed us that the authority had issued 548 legal notices and lodged 212 FIRs.

He further informed us that the authority also sealed more than 183 offices of illegal housing schemes and demolished 195 illicit constructions. He said that the relevant authorities, on the orders of the DG, were taking strict action against the rule violators.

The DG RDA, Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Rawalpindi, and City Police Officer, Rawalpindi, were monitoring the operation against illegal housing societies, launched on the special instructions of the Commissioner Rawalpindi division, Liaquat Ali Chatta, to control the illicit business.

He added that RDA also sent 129 letters to the Cyber Crime Wing for legal action against rule violators. He said the operation was underway against illegal housing societies without any discrimination.

The offices of several illegal housing schemes had also been demolished, and FIRs were also lodged against illegal and unapproved housing societies.

Strict action was taken against illegal housing schemes, including Blue World City, Multi Garden, Abdullah City, Avalon City, Faisal Town Phase-2, Rudn Enclave, Capital Valley, Shaheen Garden, Atlantic City, Century Town, High Capital City, Royal Farm/Residencia/Apna Ghar, Chinar Enclave, Eman Garden, Theme Park View, Al-Imran Homes, Imarat Hoon Farm Houses, Khan Builders, Kashmir Homes/Imam Hassan Towns, Usmania Fort Housing Scheme, Haider Residencia, Khalid Colony, Al-Baraka Garden, Zam Zam Villas, Eman Garden, Chinar Enclave, Gulshan-e-Abbas, Potohar Valley, Dua Garden, Anmol Garden, Ameen Housing, Watan Enclave, Cighu Farm House, Green Oaks (Harutus Flora), Manan City, Shakir Farms and others.

He informed us that, on the special instructions of the Commissioner Rawalpindi division, Liaquat Ali Chatta, and DG RDA Muhammad Saif Anwar Jappa, the operation against illegal housing schemes would continue.

Hafiz Irfan said 218 challans were also issued against illegal housing schemes during the operation. The spokesman informed us that nine accused in illegal housing societies’ businesses were sent behind bars. In contrast, 28 housing societies’ securities were confiscated.

He added that almost 72 cases of illegal housing societies were in the session court, and 24 cases were in the high court.

He said the authority also achieved the recovery target of Rs 52.11 million. Along with the district administration, Rawalpindi Police also played an essential role in controlling the illegal business, he said.