ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday reserved judgement on identical petitions challenging the land acquisition award offered by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and Federal Government Employees Housing Foundation (FGEHF).

The judgement will be announced on June 14. The petitions were filed by the owners of the lands in F-14 and F-15, F-12 and FGEHF schemes.

They in their petitions termed the price for for their inherited land meager.

The federal government develops housing schemes on these and allots plots to the government employees mostly senior bureaucrats and other influential segments of society.

Recently, the Supreme Court during hearing of an identical matter held that the land owners must be compensated in accordance with the market value.

As per routine practice, the government takes possession of land at the rate at which it had acquired these lands three or four decades ago.

IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah heard the petition and after hearing the arguments of both the parties.

Published in Dawn, June 5th, 2021