ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) ‘surrendered’ a plot worth over Rs30 million to a petitioner after one of its official gave statement in his favour in a local court.

The plot was initially among five plots in F-11 which were allegedly allotted in a fraudulent manner and had been declared bogus by the CDA.

Sources in the CDA said the additional director land recently gave a statement before the local court in favour of the petitioner that resulted in a decision against the civic agency.

The civic body’s security directorate, through a confidential report, had intimated the CDA chairman that land mafia in connivance with THE land directorate officials had been making efforts to get the five fake plots in F-11/4 into the list of original plots.

The security directorate’s report sent to the chairman on Dec 17, 2019, stated: “It was learnt through reliable sources that land mafia in connivance with Land and Rehabilitation Directorate of CDA is trying to include following plots of F-11/4 Islamabad in the CDA record, which have either back dated approval or fake approval,” read the letter of CDA’s security directorate made available to Dawn. The letter carried the details of plots numbers 237-A, 368, 382, 393 and 396.

The security directorate informed the chairman that to verify the source report, dealing assistant Abdul Raheem was called on Dec 13, 2019, and asked about the record status of the plots. The report said the dealing assistant, in his written reply, told the security directorate that as per record available with him the plots had still not been allotted.

“In view of the above, it will be appropriate that the land rehabilitation director may be informed to keep vigilant eyes on the above reported plot numbers, directs all concerned to ensure not to process the cases of these plots for any purpose,” the report of the security directorate read.

The chairman had forwarded the report to the land directorate to keep a check on the issue.

However, the sources said, after one year of the report, an additional director while representing the CDA in a case related to one of the plots gave a statement before a local court last week that the plot was allotted in a legitimate way. This resulted in a decision against the CDA.

When contacted, Director Land Shafi Marwat confirmed to Dawn that the civic agency lost the case after an officer of his directorate gave a statement in favour of the petitioner. He said he himself had opposed the petitioner’s claim.

“I am very much clear that the plot in question was allotted fraudulently, so I am surprised how the CDA official can record such a statement,” he said.

Sources in the civic body said during the last few years its point of the view was not presented well before courts in several cases.

“We are going to look into all court cases that are related to allotment of plots. We will check if statements were given against CDA to give benefit to property dealers and others,” he said. In the latest case, the CDA would file a review petition and will contest the case vigorously, Mr Marwat added.

Published in Dawn, January 15th, 2021