Violations of rules in Askari Colonies alleged 

Company having business in India given contract to provide Internet and security, court told

Rawalpindi: As many as 10 retired army officers living in Askari-14 alleged before the Lahore High Court (LHC) that the military authorities related to the construction and allocation of houses to retired army officers in Askari colonies committed gross violations regarding not just the original master plan but also entered into several shady deals allowing illegal commercial activities.

Justice Shahid Waheed of the LHC Rawalpindi Bench here on Tuesday directed Askari Colony Management Office (ACMO) to submit a report and comments that how land reserved for parks was converted into residential area. LHC bench directed ACMO officials to appear before the court on May 29 to explain the situation. Beside illegal construction the retired army officers through their counsel Inam-Ul-Raheem and Muhammad Wasif Khan advocates further alleged that a foreign company not cleared by the MI, ISI and IB was given access to all Askari colonies for provision of internet, surveillance and security to the residents. The same company Ertibatat (Pvt) Ltd under the brand name of ARBtel is also operating in India and thus security has been compromised.

Pemra also taken notice of it that a company that is not registered in Pakistan is allowed to work in all the cantonments of Pakistan, in violation of National Action Plan. 

The petitioners included Brig (R) Said Nazir, Brig (R) Abdul Razzaq, Lt. Col (R) Aurangzeb Safdar, Lt. Col (R) Arshad Hayat, Lt. Col (R) Sultan Fayyaz Akhtar, Major (R) Muhammad Riaz, Major (R) Abdul Haq, Major (R) Raja Tahir Jalil, Major (R) Saeed Amir and Major (R) Attique Ahmed Kiani. All petitioners are residents of Askari-14, Adiala Road, Rawalpindi.

The petitioners cited federation of Pakistan through secretary ministry of defense, Director General of Housing Directorate GHQ, Askari Colony Management Office (ACMO) and Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) through its chairman as respondents.

The petitioners adopted before the court that they are veterans of Pakistan Army and residents of Askari-14 that is a project of GHQ housing directorate with approved and well thought out master plan.

Original master plan for 1100 families consists, parks, playgrounds, mosques, and commercial areas. However, at latter stage concerned authorities altered the master plan all together. 

In the changed master plan, main play ground was converted into commercial residential block, main mosque was shifted from its original central place to the roof top of the Army Public School, place reserved for children golf course was also converted into commercial flats. Moreover the left lane of double road adjacent to houses connecting sector B & C were broken and digging started for construction of commercial houses, to be sold in public and illegal construction also started in the left over mini park of Sector A. That newly constructed commercial houses were not delivered to retired offices whose allotment as per entitlement was due, and instead, the same were sold to blue eyed through an under-table deal at a throw away/varying prices. These officers majority of whom belongs to housing directorate after taking over possessions earned millions of rupees through illegal sale in open market which speak volumes for malice on the part of authorities concerned. 

Residents protested at all this and also took up the matter with GHQ and representation was sent to the then COAS. After the protest all the illegal construction was immediately stopped, the broken road was also restored and the residents were assured that the master plan would be adhered.

Mentioning some other anomalies the petitioners said that the housing authorities allowed some outsider to establish a service station right in the residential area which is otherwise a security risk to the residents and no deal documents were shown to the residents committee. Further the authorities also purchased a vast tract of land adjacent to main gate on commercial rates knowing fully well that it was a prohibited area for construction. Later Attock Oil Refinery got the stay order and the huge amount of public exchequer was dumped.

That all of sudden, in the school playground, four storey building was planned, and children were stopped from entering the ground and illegal construction started.

Thereafter within a few days right in the residential area the jogging track reserved for the families was given to some outsider through a secret deal for construction of Shopping Mal. 

That in the recent past in the darkness of night  two mini children parks of Sector-A were destroyed and digging started for the construction of houses, thus minimizing the green areas and children playing areas.

Petitioners prayed to the court to direct the respondents that all construction and encroachments in the green area and parks in violation of master plan be removed forthwith. A complete audit of Housing Directorate with regard to Askari-14 may be carried out and contracts/agreements executed by the Housing Directorate with foreign company as well as with the proprietors of shopping mall and service station be placed before the court.