Naqvi vows crackdown on encroachments as CDA demolishes Khanna police station

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Friday said the government was determined to clear all green belts and public land in Islamabad of illegal structures, regardless of who owned or occupied them. His remarks came as the Capital Development Authority (CDA) demolished a 30-year-old Khanna police station built on a green belt near Khanna Pul Interchange as part of a wider operation to remove encroachments and restore the capital’s green spaces.

Speaking to reporters while overseeing the demolition, Naqvi said the police station had temporarily been shifted to a rented building, while the CDA would arrange the construction of a new building for the police.

“We are maintaining the same checks and balances on our own institutions,” Naqvi said, adding that the operation against encroachments would continue without discrimination.

He cited the removal of an entire Frontier Corps (FC) installation near Mohra a few days earlier, saying a public park was being developed at the site after the government reclaimed the land.

The minister said that restoring Islamabad’s original beauty and protecting its green belts were among the government’s priorities, adding that no illegal construction on green spaces would be tolerated.

He stressed that removing encroachments also required providing alternative locations to those affected, particularly street vendors.

“Along with removing encroachments, arranging alternative places is also our responsibility,” he said, adding that designated spaces would be provided in markets so vendors could continue their businesses without occupying public spaces.

Naqvi said the government was also working to improve Islamabad’s police infrastructure, with plans to construct 10 new police stations.

He said his initial target had been to replace all 27 police stations in the federal capital with new buildings.

“Eight or nine stations had already been renovated, while land had been allocated for the remaining projects,” he said.

The minister said the government intended to ensure that Islamabad eventually had modern police stations, adding that the upgraded facilities would make it easier for citizens to access police services.

On the issue of jurisdiction between Islamabad and Rawalpindi, particularly along areas such as Khanna Pul and the Islamabad Expressway, Naqvi acknowledged the need to improve coordination between the two police forces.

Responding to a question about emergency calls and confusion over the police helpline 15, he said the issue of calls being routed to the wrong city’s police service would be examined and resolved in coordination with the relevant authorities.

He also said police personnel who had been working with former senior officers instead of performing their assigned duties were being brought back to the police lines.

Islamabad emergency response system

The interior minister also outlined plans to overhaul the capital’s emergency response and firefighting services, saying the existing arrangements were inadequate to deal with major fires, particularly in high-rise buildings.

He said Islamabad had received its last fire engines in 1993, while two or three additional vehicles were subsequently provided through a donation from Poland in 2009.

The capital had previously lacked a comprehensive emergency response system, including an effective network of Rescue 1122 centres, he said.

Naqvi announced plans to establish four new emergency response centres and revamp five existing ones to improve coverage across Islamabad.

He said the government was working to integrate the city’s ambulance and fire brigade services into a coordinated emergency response system.

The minister said 22 fire engines had been received in Karachi, while additional vehicles had been ordered. He added that an 88-metre aerial ladder fire engine had also arrived, allowing firefighters to respond to emergencies in high-rise buildings.

The government was considering acquiring an even taller fire engine to strengthen the capital’s capacity to deal with fires in high-rise structures, he said.

Naqvi expressed hope that a comprehensive firefighting and ambulance response system would become operational within the next three to five months.

Review of Rescue 1122 official’s removal

Asked about the removal of the director general of Islamabad’s emergency services, Naqvi said he had requested Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to review the decision.

He said around 45 days had passed and an inquiry report was expected, adding that the prime minister was considering forming a committee to examine the matter.

“If the committee concludes that he is not at fault, I am hopeful he will be reinstated,” the minister said.

New sectors and development projects

Naqvi also provided an update on development projects in Islamabad, saying work was progressing on several stalled sectors.

He described Margalla Enclave, being developed in collaboration with the Defence Housing Authority (DHA), as one of the capital’s major projects, covering approximately 20,000 kanals of land and approaching its final stages.

He said development work in Sector E-12 had been restored, while work was also under way in sectors C-14, C-15, C-16 and C-17.

The government was also seeking to resolve longstanding delays in residential sectors where development had remained stalled for nearly two decades, he added.

Responding to a question about street vendors and beggars being detained for extended periods, Naqvi said alternative arrangements were being considered for vendors, including designated spaces in markets.

He also said a groundbreaking ceremony for a new stadium in Islamabad was expected within the next week to 10 days, inviting the media to cover the event.

The minister said the government was committed to transforming Islamabad into a modern model city through improved public infrastructure, better civic facilities and the restoration of public spaces.