ISLAMABAD: The city managers are confused how to deal with the issue of the sealed Jamia Tafheemul Quran building in H-8 as a number of individuals have approached it claiming to be the owners of a trust with the civic agency having no record to verify their claims.

A few days ago, the CDA sealed the building built on an amenity plot for non-conforming use. Riphah International University had established its College of Rehabilitation Science and the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities on the plot.

The CDA said several individuals had contacted it claiming that they were part of a society which was running Jamia Tafheemul Quran and sought the de-sealing of the building.

But these individuals could not produce any evidence of ownership or being a part of a trust and institute which had been allotted the plot.

“We are puzzled, the original focal person, former emir of Jamaat-i-Islami Islamabad Gulandaz Abbasi died some years ago. Now we have decided to write to the ICT registrar office which deals with trusts and societies to get information about it,” said Director Building Control Faisal Naeem.

The CDA said it had allotted the 9,744 square-yard plot against a nominal payment of Rs974,443 for Jamia Tafheemul Quran on the request of Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) leader Prof Khurshid Ahmad.

The CDA officials said initially the former emir of JI Islamabad was the focal person for the project.

As per the lease agreement, the allotee could not rent, lease, sell or sublet the plot. But the plot was now being used by Riphah University.

“For this violation, we sealed the building,” said the director building control.

When contacted, Rehan Hasan, a spokesman for Riphah University, claimed that the building was being used in accordance with rules and regulations.

He said the CDA had sealed the building but the university management was in touch with the civic agency to get it de-sealed. “We have been using the building for education purposes,” he said.

In reply to a question, the director building control said as per CDA regulations, the leaseholder would have to remove the non-conforming use otherwise the civic agency would cancel the plot.

He said the plot had been allotted to Jamia Tafheemul Quran which could use it for education purposes with teaching of Quran being the core subject.

Published in Dawn, June 15th, 2018