ISLAMABAD: After establishing that the cinema plot’s transfer was illegal, the inquiry committee has recommended to the CDA management to refer the matter to Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

The three-member inquiry committee headed by director works of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) Habibullah Sheikh said in its findings that the cinema plot in Sitara Market in G7 was being used for commercial purposes instead of cinema.

The committee pointed out that despite this violation, the plot was transferred to new buyer(s) on the basis of a fake No-Objection Certificate (NOC). Therefore, committee recommended that this matter should be referred to the FIA.

Sources in the CDA said that recently, when the matter reached the court, it had also ordered that action should be taken against the officials concernedof CDA for violating the rules in this regard.

Inquiry committee finds cinema plot in G-7 transferred illegally

The CDA had allotted a subsidised plot (number 6) for the cinema decades ago in Sitara Market, G-7 Markaz.

The allottee of the plot ran the Kohsar Cinema there till early 2000.

Later, he gradually started using the property for commercial purposes and constructed dozens of shops on it in violation of the terms and conditions of the allotment letter.

The sources said that last year officials from the CDA Building Control Directorate and Estate Wing transferred the nonconforming property to another party in violation of rules.

The sources said when the matter came into the notice of CDA Chairman Anwarul Haq, he ordered an inquiry, which established wrongdoing in transfer of the plot.

The sources said without an NOC from the Building Control Section (BSC) and a No Demand Certificate (NDC) issued by Estate Management, a commercial property cannot be transferred.

However, in this case, before transferring the property the Building Control Section did not intimate the violation to Estate Wing and transferred the plot on the basis of fake NOC.

The sources said for the transfer of the cinema plot, the owner was supposed to remove the non-confirming use first.

When property was transferred there was around three dozen commercial shops, but despite this the plot was transferred.

The sources said that this case could be the tip of the iceberg and there is a need to check other NOCs and NDCs issued by the building control and BSC related to commercial buildings during last five years.

In the cinema plot case and commercial shops, CDA ignored massive violations while on the other hand; the officials concernedwhile transferring a small five marla plot, become very strict in following rules.

“Now, in the inquiry report it has been transpired that property was transferred in violations of rules. Therefore, strict action should be taken against those responsible for the violation,” said an official.

He said that this was a well-known case of nonconforming use as owner of property had been making efforts for long to get the property transferred, but last year, it was transferred on the basis of fake NOC.

When contacted, an officer of CDA confirmed to Dawn that inquiry committee had established that property was transferred on the basis of fake NOC.

He said that action would be taken in the light of the inquiry report.

Published in Dawn, April 13th, 2024