Crackdown on encroachments: Fate of Nullah Korang people hangs in the balance

ISLAMABAD: Amid ongoing crackdown against encroachment in rural parts of Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), Survey of Pakistan (SoP) demarcated encroached land along with Nullah Korang on the basis of 1905 forest map records while same land got transferred to hundreds of purchaser with consent of Revenue Department.

The Survey of Pakistan and Revenue Department possessed divergent stance on declaring encroached land along with Nullah Korang due to which the affected residents consider themselves clueless and helpless to solve this issue once and for all.

Now the Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan is all set to hear grievances of affected people on tomorrow (Monday) as the residents of the area claimed that injustice was meted out with them during this ongoing campaign against encroachments.

According to the details, on the directions of Supreme Court, the CDA and ICT have initiated anti-encroachment campaign in the area of Banigala and Korang Nullah. Several reports have been prepared and submitted before the SC on this subject.

Now the residents said that the court ordered that affected residents must be associated at every stage by CDA and ICT and Survey of Pakistan but residents of Khasra Number 211/166 Shah Pur Barakhou have not been associated at any stage nor they have been heard by any court. They argued that the Nullah Korang is passing through Kharsra Number 211/166 which is oftenly termed as Khasra Korang and that creates a confusion regarding the ownership of this Khasra. In fact the Khasra is not the state land/acquired land as it is owned by different people and land records also proved this point.

The residents of this area are bonafide purchasers of their land they have proper registries and Intiqals. There are proper roads and electricity supply lines in this area. The dwellers of this area have constructed their houses well away from right of way of Korang and have built their own septic tanks. There arises no question of pollution due to this area, the residents of this area told this scribe and added that they were served with notices without being heard at any forum.

In fact the Survey of Pakistan had drawn conclusion regarding demarcation and entitlement on the basis of forest maps of 1905. According to their report these conclusion were drawn because they don't have any record of this Khasra.