ISLAMABAD: The Federal Constitutional Court has scheduled for hearing a case related to the demolition of houses in Muslim Colony, Bari Imam.
A two-member bench headed by Justice Aamir Farooq will take up the case on April 30.
According to the case record, residents of Bari Imam had earlier approached the Islamabad High Court against an operation conducted by the Capital Development Authority (CDA). A single bench of the high court had initially ordered a halt to the operation; however, the decision was later suspended by a division bench.
The residents subsequently filed an appeal in the Federal Constitutional Court against the suspension of the stay order. The court will now hear the matter formally.
Earlier, The Capital Development Authority (CDA), with the assistance of Islamabad administration, has completed bulldozing in 14 village areas of the historic 300-year-old model village of Bari Imam and Noorpur Shahan under a special project.
Despite strong resistance from residents, the villages of Malpur and Noori Bagh were also fully demolished. Authorities have now decided to begin bulldozing in the remaining 12 villages of Bari Imam from next week, including Dori Bagh, Opera Shar, and adjoining settlements. Administrative and policing preparations for the operation have been completed.
Residents of the recently demolished areas are currently engaged in clearing debris from their homes and retrieving valuables such as fans, air conditioners, refrigerators, beds, kitchen items, charpoys, and sofas with the help of laborers. Doors, windows, iron gates, and grills are also being removed and sold at low prices.
Meanwhile, a large number of contractors dealing in construction material from Rawalpindi and Islamabad have arrived in these devastated localities. They are purchasing bricks, iron structures, windows, gates, and damaged household items at throwaway prices. Contractors and investors carrying large amounts of cash are making deals with residents, while loaders and trucks have been mobilised to transport the material to Rawalpindi within hours.
The trade of salvaged building materials has peaked in these demolished settlements.
According to locals, four categories of residents live in Bari Imam and surrounding areas, including families with centuries-old ownership, families who had received compensation awards but remained, occupants who settled during the era of General Ziaul Haq and expanded during General Musharraf’s period, and those who purchased landmany of whom possess registered documents.
They alleged that the government is treating all residents as encroachers, including those allotted plots by CDA itself. –Agencies
