RDA faces resistance from ‘qabza mafia’

Civic body has no requisite staff, powers

Rawalpindi

The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA), which has initiated action against illegal occupants of its land at different parts of Rawalpindi, is facing strong resistance at the hand of ‘qabza mafia’ only because of non-availability of manpower including police personnel and meagre staff of enforcement. The RDA also does not have requisite powers to take legal action during resistance by illegal occupants. As a result the land evacuation drives by it fail every time.

A fresh incident of this kind occurred the other day i.e. Saturday, when enforcement staff of RDA comprising only three members faced a tough resistance at the hands of ‘qabza mafia’ when operation was being carried out at the site of Metro Homes at Adiala Road. The illegal occupants not only used weapons to thwart the operation but also reportedly hurled threats of dire consequences to the enforcement staff of RDA. As a result, the enforcement staff failed to get its land evacuated from the ‘qabza mafia’.

RDA official spokesman Mohammad Irfan, along with another official Mohammad Adeel, confirmed that during land evacuation drive, carried out at Metro Homes, Adiala Road, the ‘qabza mafia’ used weapons and threatened of dire consequences to the enforcement staff.

However, they said that FIR is being lodged against three persons who used weapons and hurled threats to the enforcement staff.

Irfan said that though RDA is facing strong resistance, yet the ongoing operation against the illegal occupants of its land in Rawalpindi and its adjacent areas would continue till success.

The officials said that RDA and CDGR Enforcement team will take action against illegal encroachments even at High Court road and Gulraiz Road.

Similar drives would be carried out at Adiala Road, GT Road, Chakri Road, Girja Road, Chakra Road, Fateh Jang Road and Airport Road.

In the meantime, other high officials of RDA, on condition of anonymity, deploring the recent threats to enforcement staff by ‘qabzia mafia’, demanded provision of legal powers to the body to combat with such like situations. The Punjab government should also provide RDA required manpower of Police besides increasing the number of staff members of its enforcement staff.

Even in the past i.e. some 15 years ago, due to non-availability of police force and small number of enforcement staff, RDA failed to gets its vast land of Lohi Bher evacuated from the ‘qabza mafia’. Due to this reason, several housing schemes have been launched at Lohi Bher by certain departments and the RDA remains helpless in this regard.