SC asks why former chairman’s name surfaces in CDA illegalities
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ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday asked why the name of former Capital Development Authority (CDA) chairman Kamran Lashari surfaced whenever a case of illegality by the authority came before the court.
A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar was hearing a case related to a commercial building built on land originally allotted for a swimming pool in F-6 Super Market.
The bench consequently issued a notice to Mr Lashari to appear before the court on Tuesday, when the hearing will resume.
Such notices were also issued to incumbent Member Estate Khushal Khan and CDA officer Ghulam Sarwar Sindhu.
The chief justice also hinted at referring the case, related to the illegal construction of a facility meant specifically for a gym and swimming pool, to the National Accountability Bureau.
During the hearing the SC was also informed of illegalities in the awards of 1 Constitution Avenue and Safa Gold Mall, as well as violations committed by Centaurus Mall.
The CDA is accused of giving undue favours in these projects, as Safa Gold Mall and Centaurus – according to CDA sources – are being run without completion certificates for the authority that are a prerequisite to occupy buildings.
Several other commercial buildings in Islamabad are also being run without completion certificates.
The bench formed a committee that included senior counsel Chaudhry Mushtaq, Additional Attorney General Nayyar Abbas Rizvi and Ali Raza to look into the case of 22 traders who were tenants of the aforementioned F-6 building and were evicted by the landlord.
Of the 22 tenants, six are members of the Hindu community and had been running handicraft businesses there for 30 years.
The traders recently held a press conference in Islamabad where they said the plot where they were operating their businesses was, according to the city’s master plan, reserved for a swimming pool.
They alleged that the landlord had used the plot for commercial activities with the CDA’s help.
Ramesh Kumar, a trader, said he had been running his business for 30 years and had been deprived of his business by the landlord.
Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2018
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