Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said illegal constructions and land-grabbing would be fully removed from Islamabad. A meeting also reviewed police stations, sewage treatment plants, Parliament Lodges work and a new Convention Centre.
ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said on Wednesday that illegal constructions and land-grabbing in the federal capital would be removed entirely, according to the interior ministry.
The remarks were made during a special meeting jointly chaired by Naqvi and Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry, the ministry said in a post on X.
“Land-grabbing mafia and illegal constructions will be completely eradicated from Islamabad,” the ministry quoted Naqvi as saying. “Operation Clean-up would continue without any pressure until it achieves its final result.”
For the last two months, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has been carrying out anti-encroachment drives in Islamabad, particularly targeting katchi abadis. Residents of these settlements have strongly protested the operations.
Under CDA rules, 34 housing societies and schemes were required to transfer amenity land to the civic body for further use. However, despite the passage of years, the CDA has not obtained that land. There are reports that in many cases the land has already been consumed after being converted into plots.
After clearing Muslim Colony in the Bari Imam area, the CDA also launched operations in Rimsha Colony in H-9 and Shapar Colony in G-7. Residents of those areas had staged a protest in March against the action.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, along with several civil society organisations, had urged the authorities to stop all planned and ongoing eviction operations in Islamabad’s low-income neighbourhoods and katchi abadis.
In October 2025, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had formed a joint inquiry committee to conduct a detailed investigation into alleged land-grabbing by the land mafia in Islamabad and determine responsibility.
Capital projects reviewed
The meeting also examined progress on a number of ongoing and proposed projects in Islamabad, including the construction of 11 new police stations.
It was decided that sewage treatment plants would be established to stop untreated sewage from flowing into Rawal Dam. The interior ministry said different proposals were reviewed for treatment plants on streams feeding the reservoir, adding that the move would help provide clean water to residents.
Rawal Dam has long been receiving untreated sewage and solid waste through streams, especially via Korang Nullah. A major project involving the construction of three sewage treatment plants in the dam’s catchment areas had earlier faced prolonged delays.
During the meeting, Naqvi directed the relevant authorities to complete ongoing development work at Parliament Lodges by June 30.
Participants also reviewed a plan to upgrade the Capital Police College. The proposed improvements include additional classrooms, a mess and barracks for personnel under training.
While reviewing plans for a new Convention Centre, Naqvi was informed that three international companies had submitted designs and that their evaluation was in progress. He was also told that legal formalities were being completed and that construction work on the project would begin by the last week of June.
