Decision on new GHQ taken in Bhutto era
GHQ planned on 99 acres only: ISPR

ISLAMABAD—Director General Inter Services Public Relations Major General Shaukat Sultan on Friday said that the decision of shifting GHQ from Rawalpindi to Islamabad was taken in 1972 by the government of then Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif allotted three hundred acres additional land for the project during his tenure. The Office Complex for the Naval Headquarters and Air Headquarters cover an area of about 30 and 40 acres respectively, he said while briefing a select group of media men at ISPR Directorate in Rawalpindi.
He dispelled and termed these remarks as ludicrous who say that GHQ would be spread over an area of 2450 acres. Sectors E-10, D-11 and area north of sector E-10 allotted for the Defence Services Complex is about 2400 acres which includes 870 acres of additional land acquired by the Army towards northern side of the complex for security reasons on which there will be no residential or commercial construction and green/wooded area shall be maintained to ensure the best environment. He explained that 350 acres in sectors D-11 and E-10 will remain unutilized due to nullahs, mountains and other drawbacks. This leaves only 1500 acres for the Complex out of which offices of Ministry of Defence, Joint Services Headquarters and all Services Headquarters will be on 206 acres and remaining will be used for allied facilities which include flats, houses, schools and hospitals for over 17,000 employees of all grades who would be shifted from Rawalpindi to Islamabad. Dispelling the impression that 17,000 luxury flats will be constructed in the new Defence Complex, he said that 14,000 flats will be constructed for Defence employees from grade 1-19. Replying to the allegations made by few Politicians in media regarding construction of Lakes in new Defence Services Complex, he said, small reservoirs are being made for storage of clean water which flows in Nullahs from Margalla hills which will be used for irrigating the green area so as to conserve sweet water for drinking purposes.
Presently this water is wasted in Lai Nullah due to non existence of any storage facility, he added. Dispelling the impression that there will be any housing society inside the GHQ, Major General Shaukat Sultan said that there will be no personal property of any one within the Defence Services Complex, and called those remarks as only irresponsible statements by frustrated individual. Talking about the cost of land Major General Shaukat Sultan said it has been paid to Capital Development Authority as per the government rates. He said that there is no discrimination as far as the rates of the land are concerned. Defence Services have paid as has been paid by other government departments for their offices and other complexes. Cost of additional 870 acres land is being paid in instalments as per the agreement with Capital Development Authority.
He said that decision for shifting of General Headquarters to Islamabad was taken in 1972 by the then President Zulkiqar Ali Bhutto. Highlighting the importance of location of Services Headquarters at one place, DG ISPR said that co-location of services headquarters including Ministry of Defence in the Federal Capital is usual in any country, hence was part of Islamabad’s master plan ever since its inception.—APP