Allottees of Sector E-12 write to prime minister seeking possession of plots

Islamabad:The allottees of Sector E-12 and other undeveloped sectors with a shattered confidence in the Capital Development Authority (CDA) have given a lacklustre response to the decision of CDA to receive huge development charges from them.

The Estate Management Directorate had issued notices to all allottees of sectors E-12, I-12 and C series in September, this year regardless of the fact that land is in possession of CDA to deposit development charges at the rate of Rs9,000 per square yards in three instalments by May 30, 2025. The first instalment of development charges was to be paid by September 30, 2024 but majority of allottees vary of CDA's track record, opted not to pay the first of three instalments.

The sources said that some senior officials of CDA are also advising in confidence to those allottees who are close to them or approach them through their friends or relatives that they should not deposit development charges. The allottees have said that they were ready to pay charges provided the CDA management give an undertaking and timeline to hand over possession of plots to them and review rate of development charges. "There is no justification that CDA should demand development charges as high as Rs9,000 per square yards," they said.

Some representatives of allottees have also moved the Islamabad High Court seeking possession of their plots and revision of development charges by CDA. Some allottees also fear that development charges being collected from them would be spent on ongoing mega development projects.

The CDA spokesman Shahid Kiani, however, said that development charges would be spent on development of sectors. At the same time, he admitted that very few allottees have turned to deposit development charges.

Meanwhile, around 4,500 owners of plots from size 118 sq yards to 600 sq yards of Sector E-12 who have been waiting for development of stalled sector and getting possession of the plots for the last 35 years, have approached Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for redressal of their grievances. In a letter addressed to the Prime Minister, the Action Committee of the E-12 allottees Welfare Association has demanded of the Prime Minister to come to rescue so that the CDA resolves all the outstanding issues and hand over possession of their plots to them.

"The allottees of this sector are passing through a mental agony for the last over three decades but the CDA has still not given any date to hand over possession of plots to them," the letter said.

They have demanded of the Prime Minister to issue directives to complete development of Sector E-12 at par with other developed sectors of the federal capital. In September, this year CDA gave unpleasant surprise to allottees informing them that the CDA board has decided to increase development charges for all size plots to enormous and unprecedented Rs9,000 square yards meaning charging Rs one million for 118 square yards plot to Rs5.4 for 600 square yard.

However, the ordeal of plot owners is and high handedness of CDA is that while it wants owners to pay the huge development charges to CDA by May next year in three instalments but is not ready giving any commitment that possession of plots to them. Over the last 35 years, the CDA has been able to secure possession of less than 30 per cent land in sector E-12 but it wants owners of plots to pay development charges.

The spokesman said that it has almost completed development work in sector E-12/1, where the development authority was in possession of land. However, the spokesman did not not give any timeline for handing over possession of plots to them.