ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has invited tenders for the construction of boundary walls around four graveyards, reportedly after building walls.

According to the CDA’s engineering wing, applications were invited on September 20 from reputed construction firms to bid for the construction of boundary walls at four graveyards — Sohan Graveyard (Expressway), Shakrial Graveyard (Expressway), Margalla Town Graveyard, and the graveyard near Zia Mosque along Islamabad Expressway.

The estimated cost of the project for these four graveyards is over Rs160 million.

However, according to the tender documents available with Dawn, the last date for bid submission is October 16. Despite this, the project has already been completed, as the CDA had earlier engaged a construction firm without following the tendering process.

Officials raise concerns over transparency as boundary walls around four graveyards built before bids invited

The tenders were reportedly called later only as an alleged eyewash.

During a site visit to three out of the four graveyards, Dawn observed that boundary walls had already been constructed, raising serious questions about the transparency of the civic agency.

“The estimated cost of this entire project is Rs161 million. This raises big question marks on the efficiency of the CDA. The chairman should take notice of this glaring violation of rules, as corrupt practices in this project cannot be ruled out. A proper inquiry should be conducted to fix responsibility,” said a CDA official.

Another official said that when a project is completed before the tendering process, the firm involved tends to submit bid rates of its own choice, as other firms show no interest in such cases.

“Avoiding the competitive process always benefits the construction firm and goes against the financer,” the official added.

The bid was called by the Sector Development Division of the CDA — the same division where an officer, who was penalised a few years ago with a reduction in rank for two years over illegal plot allotments, is now overseeing major projects.

“Despite proven charges, he is once again handling mega projects of the CDA,” another official noted.

“The construction of boundary walls around these graveyards was indeed necessary to prevent encroachment, but there is no justification for avoiding the competitive process,” said another official.

Some individuals have been encroaching on state land by expanding old and abandoned graveyards.

In particular, old graveyards along the Islamabad Expressway have expanded massively, and private individuals reportedly charge people for burials there.

The issue of illegal extensions of old graveyards was also raised by the CDA’s planning wing with the environment wing last year.

It may be noted that Islamabad has a designated graveyard at H-11, while the earlier H-8 graveyard is now almost full.

However, in some areas, old villagers still bury their relatives in ancestral graveyards. Old graveyards along the Expressway are also being used by residents of Rawalpindi, and this illegal expansion may create problems for the CDA’s future road widening plans.

Although the construction of boundary walls was intended to stop such encroachments, the CDA reportedly carried out the project through an illegal process.

When contacted, a CDA spokesperson said he would respond after seeking input from the concerned wing. However, no reply was received till the filing of this report.

Published in Dawn, October 6th, 2025