ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday said the government was considering to bring in a new legislation against landgrabbers to ensure strict action against the illegal occupants. Addressing here at the groundbreaking of various development projects by Capital Development Authority, the prime minister mentioned the rise of ‘qabza groups’ in Islamabad and the rest of the country, and stressed a forceful check against them. The prime minister said the land mafia was acting with nefarious objectives to illegally or forcibly take possession of immovable properties of people. He pointed that the improper proceedings resulted in bail of land grabber and also the lesser penalty did not act as an effective deterrent against the crime. “The new law will help mitigate the sufferings of people fallen victim to illegal dispossession and ensure strict action against the qabza groups,” the prime minister said. To counter the negative impacts of rapid urbanization, he said the government had chalked out a strategy outlined as making city master plans, green areas and forestation, addressing traffic problems and elimination of land grabbers. He mentioned that launch of Miyawaki forestation in Islamabad and rest of the country was aimed at more growth of plants in lesser period. Also, the conversion of brick kilns on zig-zag is a step to reduce the high levels of pollution. Imran Khan emphasized on making Islamabad a model for rest of the country in terms of plantation. He expressed satisfaction that CDA had revamped several parks to provide citizens and families a place for leisure time. The prime minister lauded the performance of CDA for generating revenues worth Rs 136 billion compared with the deficit of Rs 5 billion at the time his government took to power. Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said CDA had revamped 200 out of 240 parks of the capital with four new to be established soon. He said an exclusive ‘Ladies Bazar’ would be set up with women-only shopkeepers and visitors. He highlighted that an emergency help service like Punjab’s 1122 was required in the capital as a prompt response to any untoward incident and accidents.
