By Hafeez Darvesh
ISLAMABAD: Hundreds of affectees from Kuri and Rehara mozas staged a protest on Saturday,demanding the fulfillment of promises made by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) regarding their rehabilitation. The demonstration, attended by around 1,000 residents, highlighted the grievances of the local population displaced by the handover of 10,000 kanals of land to the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) for development in September 2024.
The protesters criticized the CDA for failing to honor its commitments made in the aftermath of a similar protest in September last year. At the time, CDA officials, along with the district administration, had assured the affectees of their rehabilitation through the allocation of 356 kanals in Rehara and 750 kanals in Kuri for trap villages. These areas were to be developed by DHA and equipped with modern facilities. Despite the passage of four months, no tangible progress has been made.
Speaking at the protest, Numberdar Rashid Kiyani outlined an eight-point agenda for the rehabilitation of the displaced population, calling on the CDA to implement it without further delay. He warned, “If CDA fails to deliver on its promises, we will have no choice but to halt all development activities by DHA in the area.”
Another community leader, Numberdar Jameel Ahmad, accused the CDA of attempting to create discord between the affectees and DHA. “We are not fools. We demand that DHA exert pressure on CDA to ensure our issues are resolved,” he said, receiving strong support from the crowd.
The protesters expressed anger over reports that the CDA Board had reduced the allocated land for the Rehara trap village from 356 kanals to just 56 kanals, terming it a blatant violation of the agreement. The move has further fueled mistrust and frustration among the affected communities, who demand their rightful rehabilitation before any development work proceeds.
Sources within the CDA revealed resistance from senior officials, including the Member Planning, in granting the affectees their due rights. This reluctance has deepened the community’s resolve to continue their protests until their demands are met.
The protesters demanded that the CDA prioritize the issuance of possession letters for the agreed-upon plots and initiate development of the promised villages immediately. They also called on DHA to play an active role in ensuring the commitments made by CDA are honored.
The situation remains tense, with the affected residents determined to escalate their actions if their demands are not addressed promptly. The protest serves as a stark reminder to the authorities of the importance of fulfilling their obligations to the local communities impacted by large-scale development projects.
