ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has retreated from its demand for a third-party forensic audit of Islamabad High Court’s Legal Facilitation Centre.

The legal team of the civic agency withdrew its application from the court amidst confusion over who actually authorised the filing.

The CDA had sought the appointment of an independent technical auditor — preferably the National Engineering Services of Pakistan (Nespak) — to verify the executed work,

measurements and excess quantities of the multi-billion-rupee project, which has seen its cost balloon from Rs1.446 billion to over Rs2.07 billion.

However, when the issue came to light, CDA officials distanced themselves from the application, pointing out that no authorised officer had signed the petition. Instead, a junior lawyer from the private law firm of the CDA’s legal adviser had filed the application as the applicant.

Sources told Dawn that the application was submitted without due authorisation, with several high-ups, unaware of its filing.

CDA spokesman Shahid Kayani confirmed that the legal wing had filed the application but pleaded ignorance about the authorisation.

Interestingly, while the matter of authorisation was being sorted out, a clerk from the legal adviser’s private law firm appeared before the IHC and withdrew the application that had questioned the financial affairs of the project. The CDA spokesman expressed ignorance about the withdrawal as well.

The IHC registrar office had also raised multiple objections on the petition, adding to the procedural complications.

Published in Dawn, July 10th, 2026