ISLAMABAD, Nov 26: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) chairman, Syed Tahir Shahbaz, on Monday appeared before the commission constituted by Islamabad High Court (IHC) to investigate alleged corruption in mega projects of the CDA.

Although the civic agency is considering challenging its formation, the CDA chairman briefed the commission, headed by former judge of the Supreme Court Justice (retired) Sardar Mohammad Raza Khan, about Monal Restaurant.

The commission during its proceedings at the IHC building on Monday decided to investigate five mega projects in the first phase of three-month-long investigation.

CDA officials submitted the record related to Monal Restaurant project before the commission.

Additional sessions judge Pervaizul Qadir Memon, who is also secretary of the commission, told Dawn that they had finalised their strategy to investigate the alleged dubious deals the senior officers of the CDA had s truck with different construction companies.

After examining the record of these projects they would summon serving and retired CDA officials for interrogation, he said.

“The commission has already started scrutinising the record of Monal project, which was allegedly granted to a construction firm without calling tenders and fulfilling other formalities,” he added.

He said after completion of the project they leased it out to their favourite company.

The commission in its proceedings on Monday lined up all the projects it would investigate, he said.

He said it decided that after the Monal project the commission would take up Rs350 million IJ Principal road project.

In this project, the authority had paid more than half of the project cost to the firm in advance in 2005, but it left it incomplete and the amount was not recovered by the CDA, he said.

Additional sessions judge Pervaizul Qadir Memon said the Grand Hyatt project would be the third one to come before the commission for scrutiny.

An under-construction five-star hotel is expanded over 13.5 acre land at the southern end of the Constitution Avenue.

He said the commission would investigate how the CDA had allotted the site to a private firm in 2005, the same year when the company was established, at the rate of Rs75,000 per sq. yard.

The authority later approved a 47-storey building but the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) did not issue NOC for the high-rise building.

Subsequently, the company refused to pay the CDA the cost of its 13.5 acres plot and filed a civil suit against the authority for recovery of Rs6236.78 million with mark up, which is pending in IHC for adjudication.

The commission would also examine the matter related to allotment of land for Centaurus project on nominal rates.

It would scrutinise the agreement between CDA and Centaurus management.

During the first phase, the commission would also investigate the allotment of a plot to Minawa, a private firm.

However, the allotment was cancelled in 1996 due to non-payment of premium/cost of plot and CDA then took back its possession, but Minawa constructed high rise Park Tower on this land and sold all its apartments.

In the second phase, the commission would examine other projects like light emitting diode (LED), Kurri Model Village, allotment and award of land and projects to favourites.