CDA Reclaims E-12 Land Worth Billions, Breaking 40-Year Deadlock
CDA says 1,133 kanals were recovered under its enforcement leadership, clearing the way for accelerated development in the long-delayed sector.
ISLAMABAD: October 19: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) says it has reclaimed 1,133 kanals of acquired government land in Sector E-12, removing a longstanding obstacle to development in one of Islamabad’s delayed residential sectors.
In a statement issued on Monday, the authority described the land as worth billions of rupees and said its recovery had enabled infrastructure work to proceed at an accelerated pace. The statement did not provide a precise valuation or explain the basis of the estimate.
According to the CDA, the clearance effort was undertaken on the directions of Interior Minister Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi and under the leadership of CDA Chairman Sohail Ashraf.
The authority said Deputy Director General Enforcement and Additional Deputy Commissioner General Dr Anam Fatima supervised the operation, with support from the Islamabad administration, the relevant assistant commissioner and Islamabad Police.
Infrastructure Work Gathers Pace
The CDA said development activities were continuing across the recovered land, with infrastructure construction being advanced under the sector’s approved plans.
Chairman Sohail Ashraf directed the relevant formations to complete the work within the stipulated timeframe and in accordance with approved quality standards, according to the statement. He reiterated that protecting public land and completing development projects on time remained the authority’s priorities.
However, the October 19 release did not specify a completion date, provide a breakdown of ongoing works or announce when additional allottees would receive possession of their plots.
For people awaiting their properties, the practical significance of the clearance will depend on how quickly the recovered land is converted into serviced plots and usable infrastructure.
Latest Figure Follows Earlier Clearance Operations
The announcement follows a series of CDA updates on land recovery in E-12. In a statement concerning a September 26 inspection, the authority reported that approximately 750 kanals had been cleared. A subsequent statement dated October 2 put the recovered area at more than 1,000 kanals. The latest release raises the reported figure to 1,133 kanals; it does not state that the entire area was recovered in a single operation.
The CDA’s earlier statements linked the clearance to the resumption of planned development, including roads and municipal infrastructure. Those announcements described land possession as a major impediment to completing the sector.
Decades of Delays and Outstanding Claims
The latest press release describes the recovery as coming after 40 years. Earlier reporting places E-12’s formal launch in 1989, making the period since launch approximately 37 years. The authority’s four-decade description should therefore be understood as its account of the longstanding land issue, rather than an independently established launch-to-completion timeline.
E-12’s delays have affected allottees for decades. Reporting in 2012 documented the experiences of people allotted plots through the 1989 ballot who were still awaiting possession more than 20 years later.
Land clearance also involves the rights of people with admissible acquisition-related claims. In its September statement, the CDA said allotment letters had been issued to verified eligible affected persons after procedural requirements were completed, and that legitimate outstanding claims would continue to be addressed through due process.
The October 19 release did not detail any remaining compensation cases or provide responses from people affected by the latest clearance activities.
The authority also reported public appreciation for its enforcement and development efforts. However, the release did not identify individual residents or provide independently recorded comments.
