Islamabad: Ch Nisar strongly opposes DHA Bill and amendments in Armed forces Act

ISLAMABAD: Leader of the opposition in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has warned the Government against presenting the Defence Housing Authority Bill and amendments in the Armed Forces Act to apply it on the civilians in the context of war against militancy saying these would have negative fall out on the Parliament, the armed forces and the country.

Addressing a press conference at the Punjab House here on Wednesday he said despite opposition by the PML-N if the two bills were presented in the National Assembly and the Senate, they would strongly oppose them.

Chaudhry Nisar said the even if the Government managed to get the DHA Bill passed by the Parliament, he would challenge the law in the Supreme Court because it is in violation of the fundamental rights of the people of his constituency.

He said the two bills have been opposed by the PML-N Members in the Defence and Parliamentary Affairs Committees of the National Assembly but their view point was not given serious consideration and the DHA bill was bulldozed and send to the National Assembly.

Giving details, leader of the opposition said the DHA has acquired one lakh seventy eight thousand Kanal of land which comes under the jurisdiction of Punjab Government and Islamabad Capital territory. He said this land was grabbed by Bahria Town forcibly from the poor people by using strong arm methods and then sold it to DHA on profit. He said under the proposed law, DHA employees would be public servants and questioned how a housing society employees can become public servants. He said the DHA has no nexus with the Federation and the Federation thus cannot make any laws for it.

He said the PML-N would have no objection if the DHA functions as a private Housing society but through legislation, no law of the federal or provincial government would apply there. No civil authority whether CDA or the Rawalpindi Muncipal Corporation would have any writ there. He said the land was acquired in Rawat, Kalar Sayedan and some areas of Rawalpindi Tehsil through the Bahria town. A case against the owner was initiated by NAB and warrants were issued against him during the initial years of Musharraf’s dictatorial rule but was withdrawn later for unknown reasons. INP