ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has blacklisted 73 housing societies in Islamabad that have advertised sale of plots without taking approval from the department, DawnNews reported on Friday.

In its programme ‘Exposed’, DawnNews uncovered the multi-million rupees scam in which owners of illegal housing societies have sold thousands of plots for over a decade.

The list was enclosed with a letter issued to government departments including, Islamabad Electric Supply Company, Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Ltd and Pakistan Telecommunication Corporation Ltd, directing them to not issue connections to the residents of the illegal societies.

The letter also includes warning for the public, asking them “not to undertake sale/purchase of plots in these illegal/unauthorised housing schemes”.

Exposed visited these housing societies and talked to the residents to uncover the truth behind this letter. What Exposed found out was nothing short of astonishing!

Almost all the housing societies were established over a decade ago. Residents of these housing societies have legally obtained electricity, gas and telephone connections from the respective government departments.

Exposed talked to several victims of this scam who claimed they have legal documents of purchase of their plot or house, and the utility bills they have been paying since their time of residence.

One of the victims questioned, “If the society was illegal then why the government departments gave them connections?”

On further investigation it was revealed that CDA and owners of the housing societies had kept the residents in dark about the legal status of the societies.

Things came to light when PTCL and Sui Northern Gas declined to give connections to new residents of these societies, despite payment of connection fee.

Upon interrogation, officials of these government departments informed the residents that CDA had listed the societies as illegal and directed them to not give them connections.

The question arises, if the housing societies are illegal then why has CDA allowed owners to sell plots to the public and ignored the development and spread of residential areas?

Also, if CDA takes action against these illegal housing societies and demolish them, then will they compensate the existing residents?