ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday issued notices to the Defence Housing Authority (DHA), property tycoon Malik Riaz Hussain, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and others on a petition seeking compensation for the affected people of the DHA Valley housing project.

The DHA Valley is a joint venture of the DHA, the real estate entity of the army, and Bahria Town of Malik Riaz. The project was launched in August 2008 and supposed to be completed by 2011. However, the development work at the site is yet to be launched as the DHA and Bahria Town failed to acquire the land.

The DHA invited applications from the civilians and soldiers, including junior commissioned officers, non-commissioned officers as well as from the heirs of martyrs.

The petition, filed by Riaz Hanif Rahi, the president of the DHA Valley Affectees Association, argued before Justice Aamer Farooq of the IHC that after the payment of all the installments in 2011, the allottees had been waiting for taking possession of the plots but there was still no sign of development at the site.

The petitioner said there were 110,000 civilians and 41,000 soldiers and their family members who had paid all the installments besides clearing the dues. The DHA Valley had promised that plots would be handed over to the allottees after payment of the installments.

The petition requested the court to direct the DHA and Bahria Town to fulfil their commitment of handing over the plots to the allottees. It also requested the court to direct NAB to complete its investigation and take action against the responsible for ill-planning of the project. After preliminary hearing, Justice Farooq issued notices to the respondents as well as to the chief commissioner Islamabad and the chairman CDA and sought their comments till June 15.

Published in Dawn, May 27th, 2016