Inquiry committee records statements of 93 CDA officials

Islamabad
The inquiry team constituted by the Ministry of Interior to look into causes of emergence of 52 slums in the federal capital has so far recorded statements of 93 officials of the Capital Development Authority (CDA).
The inquiry, led by a senior officer of the Police Group, would also find facts behind ever-growing slums and those behind the illegal activity. Out of 52 slums, there are only 10 slums which have been given the legal status.
The Ministry of Interior, through the Prime Minister's Secretariat, had acquired services of Hussain Asghar who is currently acting as additional inspector general of Punjab Constabulary. He is also being assisted by officials from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).
The inquiry team has been inquiring both serving and retired officials of enforcement and planning wings and other concerned directorates of the authority. However, the officials, appointed on deputation in these wings, have not been included in the inquiry process.
The official sources said the inquiry team had particularly been assigned the task to look into causes of emergence of two slums in sectors H-9 and H-10, both illegal. The slum in Sector H-9, which started from around 200 dwellings during the year 2008, has crossed the figure of 1,000, including building material stores and godowns.
The need to hold such an inquiry was felt following an operation against over 30-year-old slum in Sector I-11. The inquiry team, which was ordered to complete its work at the earliest, was constituted over a month back.
As per estimates, over 80,000 people are residing in slums and a majority of them include labourers and sanitation workers.
As the number of slum areas is continuously on the rise, the civic body and Islamabad administration have also not been able to check encroachments and illegal growth of slums, which were declared legal by the CDA.