Islamabad (Special Reporter)
Hundreds of builders and residents protested against the administration of Top City and Mumtaz City, demanding action from Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz over alleged human rights violations, water shortages, and exorbitant development charges.
The protest, organized by the Builders Association, highlighted issues faced by residents and investors, including the imposition of excessively high development charges on previously purchased all-dues-cleared plots—amounting to nearly half the value of the plots.
Addressing the protesters, Builders Association President Umar Anwar criticized the administration for cutting off water supply to residents and builders for over a week and preventing water tankers from delivering water. He claimed that workers from their projects were forcibly taken in vehicles at gunpoint due to refusal to pay these alleged unlawful demands.
He further stated that the society’s infrastructure, including roads, parks, mosques, parking, and street lighting, remains substandard and incomplete, adding that water supply arrangements are inconsistent and inadequate. Despite temporary water deliveries during media coverage, the administration resumed cutting off supply.
The protesters urged Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz and relevant authorities to take immediate action against the influential society owners and restore basic facilities, calling the current situation a threat to investments and public safety near the New Islamabad Airport.