ISLAMABAD: The allotment of plots in Islamabad’s Sector E-11 to senior police officers at throwaway rates has taken a legal turn with at least two original allottees — both overseas Pakistanis — challenging the cancellation of their plots worth around Rs110 million each before a sessions court.

According to documents available with Dawn, Mohammad Rafique Butt, a resident of Oslo, Norway, found his plot in the National Police Foundation (NPF) Housing Scheme cancelled despite having deposited all the dues. The plot was subsequently allotted to incumbent Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Lahore Bilal Siddique Kamyana for about Rs1.5 million — a rate fixed before the year 2000.

The sessions court has issued a stay order and halted construction work on the plot. Mr Kamyana had sold the plot days after the allotment; therefore, Mr Butt has also cited the present allottee, who started construction, as a respondent.

Plots allotted to two expats in NPF Housing Scheme cancelled despite having deposited all dues

In a similar case, retired Deputy Inspector General Shahid Iqbal, who resides in Canada, also had his E-11 plot cancelled and allotted to Deputy Inspector General Mohsin Ali, who was serving as the NPF director at the time of allotment. Mr Iqbal has also filed a legal suit in the civil court.

The NPF cancellation letter dated April 2, 2023, addressed to Mr Butt’s village address in Sialkot, stated that during the digitisation of housing records, it transpired that his “original ID card, which is a crucial document for verification purposes, is currently missing.”

Furthermore, the foundation objected to his address in Norway, noting that “the address provided in Norway poses significant concerns as it is not permissible according to our policies and regulations.”

The letter also claimed that the NPF did not receive any attorney letter from the Foreign Office for Khan & Muezzin law firm, which had previously represented Mr Butt.

“The absence of such correspondence raises doubts regarding the legitimacy of their representation on your behalf. In absence of due attestation, the attorney letter is considered bogus and with mal fide intention,” the letter said.

Moreover, a non-construction violation letter was issued on Aug 29, 2023, to which the allottee did not respond, the NPF claimed.

However, correspondence seen by Dawn tells a different story. On Nov 29, 2017, the NPF had issued a notice to Mr Butt demanding an additional payment of Rs588,650 for the same plot. His legal counsel, Barrister Suleman Khan of Khan & Muezzin, responded on Dec 12, 2017, submitting a pay order of the exact amount in favour of the NPF and requesting possession of the plot.

“The requisite amount of Rs.588,650 (Rupees Five Hundred Eighty Eight Thousand Six Hundred and Fifty Only), as determined by the commission and stated above, is hereby submitted through Pay Order No. 03542688 in favour of National Police Foundation, Islamabad, on behalf of our Client,” the lawyer’s letter stated.

Despite this acknowledged payment, the NPF proceeded to cancel the plot years later.

Former NPF Managing Director Sabir Ahmed, himself an allottee of a one-kanal plot in E-11 under similar circumstances, has previously defended the policy, claiming that NPF rules allow cancellation of plots lying vacant for decades and their re-allotment to “eligible officers” of the Police Service of Pakistan at the original old price.

At present, the market value of one kanal plot in E-11 is reportedly about Rs110 million. Documents reveal that apart from Mr Kamyana and Mr Mohsin Ali, other senior officers, including former IG Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Akhtar Hayat Khan, FIA Director General Dr Usman Anwar and DIG Karim Khan also received one-kanal plots in E-11 at the throwaway rate of Rs1.5 million each.

Published in Dawn, May 31st, 2026