ISLAMABAD: A high-profile committee working on missing property files of citizens at the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has directed land directorate to provide required record so that the committee finalises its recommendations in its next meeting.

It is relevant to note here that CDA officials have been accused of allegedly “disappearing” around 250 plot files apparently to hide their ‘wrongdoing’, putting bona fide purchasers in serious trouble.

A committee headed by director security CDA and comprising of representatives of the civic body, Intelligence Bureau and Federal Investigation Agency the other day met at the CDA headquarters to discuss the said issue.

Sources said out of 250 cases, the committee had record of 75 files. It therefore directed the land directorate to provide available alternate record of remaining 175 files so that the committee could finalise its recommendation in its next meeting.

Sources say files of 250 plots initially allotted to affected persons were missing

Sources said files of 250 plots initially allotted to affected persons (those whose land had been acquired and were entitled to get plots from CDA) were missing from the records of the land directorate. They claimed it appeared that either these files were bogus or contained irregularities, which was why their record was disappeared from official record after first or few transfers.

Sources said it seemed the record was deliberately disappeared in a bid to destroy evidence of initial bogus allotment, leaving bona fide purchasers in distress.

Sources said plots were sold out in the open market and bona fide purchasers got plots transferred from the CDA, however, later the civic body stopped further transfer as original files were missing from record, putting bona fide purchasers in great trouble.

The sources said in 2023, the civic body management swung into action and initiated a probe into fraudulent allotments with the help of the FIA, focusing on plots allotted between 2017 and 2023.

The then CDA chairman, retired Capt Anwarul Haq, formed a seven-member committee headed by the director security, with members including the director land and representatives from the planning and law wings, the FIA and the IB.

A letter dated November 6, 2023, available withDawn, stated: “This is to state that the Land and Rehabilitation Directorate is in receipt of multiple applications wherein applicants have contended that they are unable to transfer their properties because the original files of their properties are missing or lost and these files cannot be reconstructed as records of their allotment are missing.”

It further stated, “In such cases, inquiries are usually conducted through the security directorate of the CDA, which, however, did not bear any consequences, especially for the general public. Resultantly, the applicants/transferees run from pillar to post to get their right of transfer and have to suffer prima facie through no fault of their own. Recently, the secretary interior has also taken notice of such incidents and has desired that these issues be resolved to provide relief to the suffering applicants.”

When owners approached the civic authority for further transfer, they were informed that no record of their plots was available.

“If my plot was allotted on the basis of a bogus file or document, why did the CDA transfer it through its One Window Operation? I purchased this plot from a third party and trusted the CDA. But now, when I want to sell it, the CDA is not entertaining my request,” an allottee said.

Sources said the majority of such alleged bogus allotments were made between 2013 and 2023. A committee was formed a couple of years ago to look into the issue. So far, around 250 such ‘missing file’ cases have surfaced, of which the committee has traced 75 files.

Sources said the committee after holding several meetings had directed the land directorate to provide the remaining record so that probe is likely completed in the next meeting.

A senior officer of CDA acknowledged that a probe into the “missing files” was under way.

When asked about the figure of 250 missing files, he neither denied nor confirmed it.

“CDA has constituted a special committee to address the issue of missing files related to plots. The committee is headed by the director security, with the deputy director land as its secretary, and includes members from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the Intelligence Bureau (IB). Its primary task is to oversee the reconstruction of the missing records as well as fix responsibility for the missing files on officials as per record,” he said.

Published in Dawn, June 4th, 2026