ISLAMABAD: The illegal construction of madressahs and mosques in Islamabad caused a loss of Rs1.1 billion to the public exchequer.

This was disclosed in an audit report of financial affairs of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) for the fiscal year 2012-2013 during the meeting of Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Wednesday.

According to the report, “about 305 mosques/madressahs had been illegally constructed on CDA land in various sectors of Islamabad.” The audit further observed that 69 madressahs/mosques had encroached upon, on average, 100 square yards each.

Audit says over 300 mosques and madressahs were illegally constructed on CDA land

The audit report observed that it is the CDA’s responsibility to guard its land against encroachers and take possession of land forcefully by removing encroachers and when necessary demolishing the illegally-constructed buildings on the land.

The office of the Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) estimated that “this resulted in a loss of Rs1.12 billion”.

PAC chairman Syed Khurshid Ahmed Shah referred this para to Departmental Accounts Committee (DAC) for deliberations.

After the audit authorities read out the said objection, the PAC chairman Shah said: “It is appropriate to refer this matter to DAC for action.”

The committee then took up another audit para.

On January 22, 2013 the DAC had directed CDA Member Estate to remove illegal constructions with the help of Islamabad administration. The DAC had also observed that “the CDA will be held responsible, if any new illegal mosque/madressah is constructed in future”.

In its subsequent meeting in May 2014, the DAC upheld the said directions.

The audit authorities suggested to the PAC that the committee “may direct the Principal Accounting Officer (PAO) to examine the issue, make arrangements for policy decision by government for removal of illegal construction as per CDA rules, take action and submit a report on the issue to PAC.”

When the audit para was taken up by the PAC, the committee members who seemed to be vigilant on the issues related to even minor corruption of the government officials referred it to the DAC without even generating any debate on this matter.

An official of the CDA privy to this development said that since it is a sensitive issue there is reluctance in taking concrete steps.

It is the responsibility of the CDA and Islamabad administration to retrieve government land but out of fear of retaliation these departments overlook illegal occupation.

In 2005 during the government of former president retired General Pervez Musharraf, a campaign was launched against the illegally constructed mosques and madressahs.

Officials of Islamabad administration, who monitored the operation against some madressahs, told Dawn that while evicting illegal occupants from a madressah, the clerics and seminary students resisted and got injured. As a result, the then inspector general and senior superintendent of Islamabad police were transferred overnight.

CDA spokesman said the authority is aware of the issue and has taken certain steps to stop new construction on CDA land.

Published in Dawn, January 29th, 2015

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