Residents seek protection from eviction

Residents of Islamabad's oldest densely populated model village, Saidpur, have jointly demanded that families who have lived there for more than a century should not be deprived of their homes or evicted. They demanded protection of the residential rights of affected residents, transparent verification of records regarding acquisition of land and payment of compensation, and an opportunity for local families to present their position before any action is taken. The affected residents of Saidpur said their lands were forcibly acquired under the interim laws imposed during martial law when the federal capital was established in 1960. However, they said compensation for the fertile land, gardens and land irrigated by natural springs was fixed at extremely low rates. They said the awards issued between 1962 and 1967 were based on old prices, payments were made several years later and compensation was also paid in instalments, while permits for alternative land often proved practically useless. According to the affected residents, citizens acquired fundamental rights after the 1973 Constitution, but by then the owners of Saidpur had been deprived of effective opportunities for legal recourse. They said later affected people received better compensation and land-shifting facilities, while the land acquired from them was allegedly used by CDA officials to generate substantial financial benefits later. Highly expensive sectors have now been established in those areas, they added. The affected residents of Saidpur Village referred to a 2008 decision by former CDA chairman Kamran Lashari to protect the residential rights of the ancient village and its old residents. They said that if the decision remains in force, the homes and residential rights of families living there for decades should also be protected. According to local residents, they possess documents relating to their land and properties, while the relevant records are also available with the CDA. The affected residents also raised the issue of alleged allotment of plots at low rates and demanded that the record regarding its legal authority, relevant laws and cabinet decisions be made public. They demanded that before any eviction or demolition operation is carried out in Saidpur Village, the complete record should be transparently examined; awards, compensation, alternative land and the 2008 CDA Board decision from 1960 onwards should be reviewed; and the residential rights of families living there for decades should be protected instead of depriving them of their homes.