ISLAMABAD: Ministry of Defence (MoD) and Capital Development Authority (CDA) are said to have shared a detailed plan with the Cabinet on removal of "encroachments" by Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and Pakistan Navy on Margalla Road, Islamabad with definite timelines, official sources told Business Recorder.
PAF and PN have a number of buildings constructed "without" approval of CDA, and included in the category of "illegal" construction.
On December 22, 2020, Chairman CDA and Acting Secretary Defence Division made presentations to the Cabinet on "encroachments" on MargeIla Road, Islamabad.
According to the CDA, it issued notices to Navy and Air Force headquarters to remove "encroachments" on the roads and the MargeIla Hills National Park and to report the status to the Cabinet in the next meeting.
In this regard, a meeting with the officers of Pakistan Navy was held with Chairman, CDA on August 12, 2020 wherein the matter related to the removal of "encroachments" on the roads and the Margalla Hills National Park was conveyed. Pakistan Navy showed their consent to submission of building plans for approval of the buildings that have been constructed "without" approval. Moreover they also agreed to carry out a survey for determination of the "encroachments" and subsequent removal.
According to sources, Ministry of Defence stated that both PN and PAF reiterated that they are in compliance with the Cabinet directions and that corrective measures are also being adopted in phases, based on security dictates Security situation has recently aggravated with an upsurge in terrorist activities and a number of threat warnings have been initiated wherein Armed Forces remain a primary target of the terrorist organizatios including soft targets like residential complexes; therefore security systems installed at the residential complexes is a pivotal element of the security design of the residential areas. A huge investment has been made by the Armed Forces in their setups for the same reason. Nevertheless, there exists room to adjust certain elements of the security paraphernalia for a phase-wise implementation.
Defence Ministry maintained that; (i) Ministry and its Executive Departments have no claim over Green Belt along Margalla Road and no permanent structures have been built behind temporary security barriers; (ii) effective management of traffic can be ensured by construction of the principal road along the present alignment of Margalla Road, as included in CDA's Master Plan; (iii) service road along E-8 and E-9 Sectors is not a thoroughfare and would not be, in any case, used by local populace; (iv) regularization of service road for inclusion within E-8 and E-9 Sectors' premises also needs to be considered; (v) services HQs, MoD have proposed the following phase-wise compliance of the Cabinet directions: Phase-I (immediate action) (a) Green belt along Margalla road adjacent to E-8 and E-9 sectors is to be maintained and further improved; (b) temporary structures/barriers along Margalla Road are to be re-aligned/retracted to improve traffic flow and work is to be completed in three months; (c) landscaping, beautification and horticulture of green belt be undertaken, where required ;(d) removal of un-authorized Traffic Police setup on the Green Belt by CDA and; (e) construction of parking plaza for universities.
Phase-II- re-alignment of temporary security infrastructure in medium to long term, based on threat assessment. Further options proposed for easing the flow of traffic are: (a) construction of the principal road for through-traffic along present alignment of Margalla Road, as included in CDA's Master Plan and regularization of Service Roads and; (b) construction of an underpass/flyover at Shaheen Chowk by CDA with assistance of both Services to address the traffic flow concerns in the long term.
A consensus emanated from the discussions that there should be across-the-board enforcement of law. It was unequivocally stressed that all the "illegal" structures be demolished and the barriers be moved within the land owned by the "encroachers." The Chairman CDA said that there was a general agreement on removing encroachments, however, the issue of PAFSOM arena in E-9 still needed to be resolved.
The Cabinet took notice of the presentations by Chairman CDA and Acting Secretary Defence on "encroachments" on Marglla Road, Islamabad, and, while stressing an across-the-board implementation of law, directed that a comprehensive plan, with definite timelines, be developed and presented to the Cabinet in its next meeting for removing encroachments on Margalla Road.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
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