ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) is in a bind over the question of waiving surcharges on a plot allotted to the chief justice, and may have to change their policies in order to get out of the tough situation.

Although the chief justice is not at fault, the agency has been levying the same charges on nearly all past allottees on similar grounds.

In a meeting held on Monday, CDA board members discussed the case of Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar and others who were allotted plots in sector D-12 by the Federal Government Employees Housing Foundation (FGEHF).

In most cases, the foundation did not remit the payment into CDA’s accounts within the stipulated time period.

Mayor says no allottee should be penalised for late payment by FGEHF

As per CDA practice, in cases where were the cost of the plot is not remitted to the agency within the period specified in the FGEHF allotment letter, the CDA’s accounts section calculates delayed payment charges.

It has been observed that while most allottees make the payments to FGEHF in time, the foundation does not remit the amount to CDA in a timely fashion.

According to documents that were presented before the CDA board, delayed payment charges of Rs 351,620 were also levied on the plot allotted to Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar last year. However, the same document pleaded that all charges in such cases should be waived.

When the board was informed that in most cases, allottees do make payments to FGEHF in time and it was the latter that delayed its remittance, members decided there was no justification for collecting late payment surcharges from allottees.

However, before taking a final decision, sources said the board had decided that CDA would discuss the issue with FGEHF to evolve a mechanism to resolve all such issues in the future.

“The plot of the chief justice is cleared, there was no need to present this case in the board meeting,” Islamabad mayor and acting CDA chief Sheikh Anser Aziz told Dawn.

He said that after discussing the summary, the board had decided to defer the matter and hold a meeting with the FGEHF before taking a final decision.

The CDA chief said that there was no justification for charging allottees who had already paid the FGEHF.

“After evolving a mechanism, we will decide whether or not to charge any allottee if they had already paid the FGEHF on time,” he said.

Published in Dawn, October 13th, 2017