ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has started an investigation into commercial and residential apartment plazas in the city and sought details of all such projects from the Capital Development Authority (CDA).

“A complaint was received in this Bureau, wherein it is alleged that corruption and corrupt practices are happening in construction and operation of commercial/residential plazas in Islamabad. The subject complaint was processed at an appropriate level, wherein it has been decided by the competent authority to obtain data from CDA,” stated a NAB letter addressed to the CDA.

The letter from NAB Rawalpindi dated Sept 23 and available with Dawn stated: “In view of the above, it is requested to provide data/information regarding commercial/residential plazas in Islamabad.”

Moreover, NAB also asked the CDA to share “what actions have been taken (imposition of fines/penalities) against owners of plazas which are constructed in violation of the approved plan? Details of regularisation process.”

The letter also sought details from the CDA regarding numbers of no-objection certificates issued for the establishment of commercial/residential plazas, completed/opretionalised plazas, completion certificates issued, revenue collected from the plazas in lieu of transfer fees, pending completion certificates, reason for pendency of completion certificates, number of plazas constructed as per approved plans and those in violation of the approved plans.

Sources in the CDA said the civic agency had the record of sectoral areas but most of the plazas in rural areas were undocumented. The sources said majority of high-rise and apartment buildings were operating without having completion and occupancy certificates.

The completion certificate is issued once the owner of a building completes the project in accordance with the approved plan and fulfils other procedures such as installation of fire safety equipment.

In many cases, the sources said, owners of the high-rise and apartment buildings while deviating from the approved layout plans started using parking spaces and other open spaces for commercial purposes and that’s why they were avoiding to get the completion certificates.

The sources said the CDA itself auctioned apartment plots in various areas such as F-10 Markaz, F-11, G-8, G-11, Diplomatic Enclave but majority of the owners sold out the apartments without having completion certificates.

In rural areas and in E-11 and H-13, apartment buildings were constructed even without the approval of their plans from the CDA as the civic agency never made any attempts to enforce its bylaws outside the sectoral areas. Both E-11 and H-13 are un-acquired sectors.

An official of CDA said following the directive of federal cabinet, the civic agency has decided to enforce its bylaws in E-11. He said in the past the rural areas remained neglected and the building control directorate kept itself restricted only to the sectors. But now two building control sections have been set up to approve building plans in housing societies and the rural areas too, the official said.

Published in Dawn, October 1st, 2021