ISLAMABAD: After facing resistance from owners of guest houses last week while doing operation against non-confirming use of residential buildings, the Building Control Section (BCS) of Capital Development Authority (CDA) is pulling its muscles to launch a well-planned operation against these guest houses and hostels established in residential areas. The BCS had initiated an operation in last week and shutdown around six guest houses, but faced massive resistance from the owners of guest houses in said operation whereas the incident of manhandling was also happened on the spot. A First Information Report (FIR) of the incident was lodged in Kohsar Police Station against those who were involved in manhandling. The application to register FIR was submitted by building inspector Liquat Hussain Satti, who was present on the spot when the operation was interrupted by accused persons. Now, the authority is going to launch a comprehensive drive against these guesthouses and hostels from 17th October soon after the Youm-e-Asura with full preparedness. The BCS has asked the higher ups to provide the assistance of Area Magistrate while doing ground operation as the Magistrate of CDA don’t have the powers to provide legal cover under section 30 in case of any untoward incident. The directorate has also sought the help of Islamabad Police and requested to provide at least 10 police personnel under the supervision of an officer not less the sub inspector. It was also requested to ensure the presence of 15 personnel of Enforcement Directorate headed by a deputy director whereas the presence of 2 lady staff members were also sought by the Director, Building Control. According to sources, the operation would be started from the guesthouse, operating in posh sectors of capital city i.e. F-6 and F-7. A list of 32 guesthouses is also prepared to in this regard, which includes eleven guesthouses of F-6/1, four guesthouses of F-6/1 and F-6/2, one guesthouse of F-6/4, ten guesthouses of F-7/1 and two guesthouses of F-7/2. Meanwhile, Member Planning of the CDA Asad Mehboob Kiani wrote a letter to the Inspector General of Police, Islamabad to provide police assistance. The letter stated that the CDA’s operation against non-confirming use has been entered into its 3rd phase where mostly the hostels and guests houses are supposed to be sealed. It was further informed to IGP that a strong resistance is expected from the owners of hostel and guesthouses, therefore it was requested to provide police support to avoid any untoward incident. The operation against non confirming use was initiated by the civic body under the strict directions of the Supreme Court of Pakistan. The authority closed down a total of 314 premises so far. There were originally 1695 residential buildings which were being used for commercial purposes, when the CDA initiated this operation. Currently, the total number of non-conforming properties is 664 as the owners of 715 buildings also voluntarily converted their buildings into confirming use. In its concluding phase, the Building Control Section of the CDA had stepped in to take action against hostels and guest houses and sealed 9 guest houses and 19 hostels. The Director Building Control Shafih Marwat while responding on the issue said; “we are doing this operation from last one and half year without any interruption as mostly people are cooperating with us.” He said further; “the drive would be reinitiate in next week with full power and commitment under the cover of magisterial and police cover.”