ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) on Wednesday sealed the building of Sir Syed Memorial Society where a private educational institution – the Centre for Advance Studies in Engineering (Case) – was being run.

“Today we sealed the building, in which Case was being run, for non-conforming use,” said Director Building Control Faisal Naeem.

He said CDA had also sealed the building last year but institution’s management had filed a case in the high court and the Supreme Court had then given it a year till June 30, 2018 to move out.

“After the expiry of the grace period given by SC, we sealed the building,” he said, adding that the plot was being used for commercial purposes, contrary to the condition of its allotment letter.

He said only that part of the building where Case was being run was sealed and that the other rooms and the museums were still open. The Sir Syed Memorial Society was formed in 1984 by the Aligarh Old Boys’ Association as a tribute to Sir Syed Ahmed Khan.

On the society’s request, CDA had allotted a 24-kanal plot on Ataturk Avenue in G-5 to the society for the construction of an auditorium, library, reading room and museum.

According to officials, the society had rented out a portion of the building to the said institution contrary to the allotment letter.

In 2011-12, SC had ordered CDA to bring the plot to its original use, which could not be done due to litigation.

Before April 2016, the Sir Syed Memorial Society was run by a 15-member executive committee which also included more than five members from Case.

However, disagreements between some employees and the executive committee had caught the attention of the city district administration which asked the committee to clarify its position on a number of charges.

After getting an unsatisfactory answer, the district administration suspended the executive committee and appointed a caretaker administration which is still running the society’s affairs.

When contacted, Case Dean Academics Khawaja Shafaat Ahmed Bazaz said: “At this stage, we do not want to comment”.

Published in Dawn, July 5th, 2018