Five Community Centers are illegally using for commercial activities in Islamabad

Abdullah Malik

ISLAMABAD: The city managers of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) failed to rescue the community centers established in different sectors of Islamabad for the welfare of the communities while out 0f 18 community centers 05 are illegally using for commercial activities the documents available with Frontier Post spotlighted.

The documents added that CDA auctioned 18 plots for establishing of community centers in different sectors of Islamabad in 1998 & 2002 on low prices but 08 community centers land are still vacant and no community center established on those auctioned plots despite passing of 2 decades. 

The documents added that CDA auctioned these plots in different tenures on low charges free from commercial taxes for the establishing of community centers on terms & condition that only 70% land will be used for constructing of buildings for community centers but the documents revealed that 80% buildings covered 100% land without getting approval from the civic agency.

The terms and condition for establishing community center according to the bylaws of the civic agency are to provide a community hall for local population, establishing a library for healthy activity of reading, as well providing facilities for indoor games but most of the community centers lack the mentioned facilities.

The documents further added that the mafia illegally occupied these centers and the community hubs are using for commercial activities not for the welfare of the people.

The available documents with Frontier Post added that the community center established in F-11/2 sector of Islamabad is using for commercial activities as well.  The F-11/2 community center illegally occupied by a medicine company for their commercial business.

The documents further added that the community center established on plot no: 3, Bazaar no: 3, F-11/3 sector are also in use of a contractor who illegally established their office inside the center.

Another community center which was established in F-10/1 posh sector of Islamabad illegally grabbed by mafia for their commercial activities.

Inside F-1o/1 community center private hospital is operating since long but the Building Control Section (BCS) still reluctant to retrieve the community centers established for the welfare of local population.

The community center established for the welfare of local population in F-10/2 posh sector is also illegally occupied by the business mafia according to the available documents. Inside the building of F-10/2 community center a health clinic of a skin specialist is operating illegally since many years.

In G-9/4 sector of Islamabad a community center was established for the welfare of local population. Interestingly the available documents revealed that an internet cafe and other offices established inside the said community center illegally.

Director Building Control Faisal Naeeem when contacted by the correspondent responded that their wing collected all details and strict action will be taken against the violators in coming days.

The documents while spotlighting the negligence of the civic agency added that community centers plots which were auctioned by the civic agency twenty years ago, some plots were of 300 square yard and some plots sizes were more than 300 square yard while the terms and condition for establishing of community centers were that only 70% land will be covered for buildings but most of them covered 100% land in violations of laws.

A source inside the CDA was contacted who is familiar with the process added that the issue of using community welfare centers for commercial activities were surfaced many times but some officials of the civic agency are getting bribes in exchange of using the centers premises that”s why no action was taken against the violators due to the protection cover of some officers.   

The documents added that a board meeting of CDA which was conducted on 7th March, 2003 violated their own laws and allowed 100% construction on those plots which sizes were less than 300 square yard and legal cover was provided to those who grabbed the 100% community center land.

The documents further added that applications were filed by those whose plots sizes were more than 300 square yards and made demand for 100% construction on land but CDA board rejected their plea but interestingly they also occupied 100% land for construction of buildings.

A credible source inside CDA told Frontier Post that the mafia has illegally occupied these centers for their commercial purposes since long but the civic agency building control wing still reluctant to take action against the violators.

“We visited these centers and the violators confessed that they are paying bribes to the high-ups of the civic agency for using these premises, the source added.

Frontier Post contacted Chairman CDA Amir Ali Ahmad and official spokesman Syed Safdar Shah but both didn’t respond on the issue till filing this report.