ISLAMABAD: Another scandal of alleged fake allotment of plots has hit the Capital Development Authority (CDA) as the security directorate of the civic agency has unearthed fraudulent allotment of seven plots in D-13.

Sources said a few months ago, the then additional director land Sobia Toru, who is currently serving as the deputy commissioner CDA, informed the security directorate that two plots in D-13 had been allotted with her fake signatures.

The sources said when the matter was brought into the notice of CDA Chairman Amer Ali Ahmed, he directed the security directorate to conduct a probe to reach the truth and expose officials involved in it.

During the preliminary probe, it transpired that at least seven such plots had been allotted with fake signatures. The probe committee also pointed out that the plots were allotted against fake claims of land as the allottees had no land in Shah Allah Ditta but were allotted alternate plots using fake claims.

Probe to be started against officials involved in allotment of seven plots in D-13 with fake signatures, says official

The sources added that files of the seven plots were also missing from the land directorate. The committee, which completed a preliminary inquiry, recommended to the CDA management to issue orders for cancellation of the plots and hold a formal inquiry.

A couple of months ago, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had also sought the record of the two plots in D-13, which were initially reported to the security directorate by the former additional director land.

The security directorate, a few years ago, had also confiscated alleged bogus records of seven plots in I-12 from the One-Window Operation (OWO) centre minutes before their transfers.

Later, the cases were referred to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) but so far the first information report (FIR) has been lodged for just one case.

There are thousands of people whose land was acquired by the civic agency and they are entitled to get plots against it.

However, the civic agency after 2017 has not been providing plots to the affected landowners and this unofficial ban on allotment of plots to them may be creating opportunities for corrupt officials to take advantage.

A number of cases have been filed in lower courts and even before the Islamabad High Court (IHC) against CDA by people whose land was acquired by the authority.

“For ending corruption and corrupt practices, the CDA should clear all pending cases for land affectees for good. Otherwise, such fraud cases will continue taking place as several officials have their roots in CDA’s land directorate and OWP,” said an official of the CDA.

When contacted, a senior officer of the CDA confirmed to Dawn on Friday that during the preliminary probe it had transpired that seven plots were allotted fraudulently. He said soon an order will be issued for starting a formal inquiry for fixing responsibility.

Published in Dawn, July 23rd, 2022