CJP roasts Islamabad IG for illegally occupying CDA residence

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) on Tuesday grilled the Inspector-General Police (IGP) of Islamabad, Muhammad Amir Zulfiqar for allegedly illegally occupying a government residence, ARY News reported.

The top court was hearing a petition filed by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) against the illegal occupation of CDA residences by the police force.

The petition alleged that the IGP Islamabad himself was occupying a home allocated to a CDA member.

The Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mr Saqib Nisar asked the IGP Zulfiqar to come to the rostrum so that he could question him.

“You had come to [Islamabad] for the Lal Masjid operation, but you ended up occupying the flats illegally”, said CJP.

Expressing his surprise, the CJP said: “How will things function if the law-enforcers become law-breakers?”.

“You are living in a CDA property”, CJP said.

On this, the top police officer said he had “just come to know about this”.

“I have come to know about this just now!”, said the IGP.

CDA’s counsel informed the court that the Police had not vacated 200 more quarters.

The court later directed the Ministry of Housing to resolve the matter of “IGP’s illegal occupation” of the residence, asking the Housing Minister to himself look into the issue.

Occupation of government residences, Pakistan Quarters

Separately, Secretary Housing informed the court that apart from [government residences illegally occupied in] Karachi, 563 more government residences were held unlawfully.

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The secretary informed the court that 516 houses were repossessed, and a committee comprising the members of National Assembly (MNAs) was constituted for repossession of government residences.

Remarking on the eviction drive in Karachi’s Pakistan Quarters area, the CJP said that the court had given a two-month deadline because the eviction drive had created a law-and-order situation in the city.

“The Sindh governor had personally called me. He is working to resolve the matter”, he said.