Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: An anti-encroachment drive to retrieve state land from Bahria Enclave has been stopped despite the directives of the top court, a source in the Capital Development Authority (CDA), wishing not to be named, told Daily Times on Thursday.

“It seems that the CDA is helpless in retrieving the land from Bahria Enclave, which is owned by influential property tycoon Malik Riaz,” said the source.

The Supreme Court (SC) had ordered authorities concerned to retrieve some 510-kanal land illegally grabbed by Bahria Enclave.

Following the SC’s orders, the civic agency last week launched an anti-encroachment drive in Bahria Enclave but later postponed it after the Bahria Enclave administration assured the civic agency that they would conduct the operation on their own.

Eyewitness said that the CDA on the first day of the drive demolished only temporary installations and never conducted the operation inside the Bahria Enclave.

A CDA official said that the civic agency had failed to retrieve the land from Bahria Enclave because of its owner’s connection with influential people.

“I think that some people don’t want this operation to be succeeded because of their vested interests,” he said.

He added that the media only covered the operation conducted outside the Bahria Enclave to give an impression that the civic agency was committed to retrieving the state land.

He said Bahria Enclave administration had stopped the operation after demolishing some small structures only.

When contacted, an official – who is part of the team responsible for conducting the massive anti-encroachment drive in the federal capital – said, “We didn’t conduct a massive drive against Bahria Enclave due to various reasons, but I am quite sure that the CDA had failed to retrieve the land grabbed by Bahria Enclave.”

He added, “Our team had to return on the staring day of the drive after it was told by high-ups that Bahria Enclave would conduct the operation on its own. We never grant relaxation to anyone but there may be some behind the scene deal in this particular case.”

CDA Spokesman Safdar Ali Shah remained unavailable for comment.

Published in Daily Times, December 14^th 2018.