Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The National Commission for Human Rights Pakistan has taken up a petition regarding the operation against hostels working in residential areas by CDA.

A student representative body had approached NCHR in March 2016 against the closure of their hostels operating in residential units and sought an intervention of the said commission to get relief.

The petition was signed by three students on the behalf of Student Welfare Association, Islamabad. They stated in the petition that around 80,000 students are facing difficulties due to the CDA’s operation against non-conforming use because they are living in different houses on sharing basis or collective rental arrangements.

The petition stated that as per the CDA rules and regulations five or more students without having blood relations cannot live together in one house and due to this policy both male and female students are in great trouble.

They argued that why students cannot live in a house by sharing as at the same time the families are living and also declared the civic body’s rules and regulations as a violation of fundamental human rights.

“We launched an appeal through newspapers and staged a protest in front of the National Press Club. The higher education is being encouraged all over the world by society and governments “but nobody is serious to listen our problems in the federal capital of Islamabad”, the petition highlighted.

They prayed that the commission should stop the ongoing operation of the CDA against non-confirming use and amend the rules and regulations in this regard to protect the academic future of thousands of students as most of them cannot afford expensive accommodations in commercial areas.

The commission took up the matter in the recent month and fixed the date of hearing for December 01, 2016. The law directorate of the civic body appointed the Director Building Control, Shafih Muhammad Marwat and Director Urban Planning Ijaz Ahmed Shaikh, to appear in the matter, but both failed to appear before the commission.

The commission showed its extreme displeasure over the absence of the said officers and adjourned the proceedings till December 15, 2016. The President Student Welfare Association, while talking to the Daily Times has claimed: “The commission has restricted the CDA from taking action against hostels till the next date of the hearing, but it is violating its orders as the operation is still continuing.” He demanded further that “the CDA should think about our future and should relax the rules and regulations”.

When contacted, the Director Building Control, Shafi Marwat, he said: “We are doing the operation on the directions of the Honourable Supreme Court of Pakistan and we have to submit the details of the operation in the apex court.”

However, the Director Urban Planning, Ijaz Ahmed Shaikh has said: “Although, there is no specific provision of plot for hostels, but it can be marked if the Authority deems it necessary.” He added: “The public sector universities in Islamabad have a huge chunk of land and they should utilise their land to construct hostels while the HEC should also keep in view the hostel requirements before granting NOC.”