Land grabbing, illegal construction: NAB, FIA asked to speed up probe against CDA employees

A parliamentary body on Tuesday directed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to speed up investigation of embezzlement and corruption cases against the employees of Capital Development Authority who facilitated land grabbing and illegal construction in the federal capital. The National Assembly Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat met with Rana Muhammad Hayat Khan in the chair and directed the NAB and FIA to actively pursue the cases against the CDA's employees in the courts.
The meeting was attended by Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, Minister of State for CADD, MNAs Malik Ibrar Ahmad, Syed Javed Ali Shah, Sardar Muhammad Irfan Dogar, Parveen Masood Bhatti, Nighat Parveen Mir, Shahnaz Saleem, Farhana Qamar, Dr Mahreen Razzak Bhutto, Asad Umar, Nafeesa Inayatullah Khattak, Muhammad Rehan Hashmi, Secretary M/o CADD and senior official of CDA and FIA.
The committee also directed CDA's Chairman Maroof Afzal to speed up departmental inquiries against the authority's employees involved in illegal activities and submit a report before the committee. Committee Chairman Rana Muhammad Hayat Khan said that the CDA employees are involved in growing illegal construction and land grabbing in the city which caused losses worth billion of rupees to the national exchequer. "Land grabbers have constructed illegal multi-story plazas in the city with the connivance of CDA's employees", he added.
Khan said that delay in action against illegal constructions and land grabbing has encouraged its progression. He directed the CDA chairman to immediately take necessary steps to strengthen its enforcement mechanism and take legal action against all employees who facilitate land grabbers. Chairman CDA Maroof Afazal admitted that the authority's employees had been involved in patronizing land grabbers and illegal construction in past however, nowadays zero tolerance policy towards corruption has been adopted and instant action is initiated against corrupt officials.
The committee also directed the CDA to review contract award of plot for Grand Hayat Hotel within three months and cancel the contract if found illegal as well as fix responsibility against all those responsible. The committee also criticised NAB officials for delay in investigation of Grand Hayat plot allotment contract. Khan said that NAB failed to complete investigation of plot allotment of Grand Hayat despite the passage of one year which encouraged land grabbers.
Director NAB Numan Aslam informed the committee that NAB investigators have found some serious violation in the contract due to which bureau has moved forward. According to the inquiry so far conducted by NAB officials, the contract was made on easy term and conditions which benefited the contractor a lot. CDA chairman told the committee that a land measuring 13.5 acres was leased for 99 years by CDA's board in 2005. The bidder was required to pay 15 percent down payment and balance of 85 percent was payable in 15 years till 2020. The possession of plot was handed over to BNP the developer upon payment of 15 percent of premium and upon furnishing irrevocable ban guarantee acceptable to CDA, he said.
He said that the initial height of the building was up to 718 feet, however, Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) raised objection on the height and restricted the height up to 330 feet. Due to reduction of height, BNP filed a writ petition against CDA in the court.
He said that the developer had requested for rescheduling of payment on the grounds that due to earthquake in October 2005, the project got delayed due to formulation of new building codes which was issued in March 2006.
Following the developer's request, the CDA's board approved rescheduling in payment plan in October 2007 and the payment was extended till 2021, he said. The CDA chairman said that the authority's board approved the second rescheduling of payment in November 2012 due to height restriction imposed by CAA and payment plan was extended till 2026. The committee directed the CDA to avoid taking such decisions in future, which are contrary to the public interest. The committee also directed for removing all those legal counsels from its panel who had failed to actively plead the CDA cases in courts of law.
The committee also directed the CDA to initiate development work at Sector I-11 without further delay. Inam Ghani, Director Islamabad zone FIA told the committee that agency is currently investigating 29 cases of embezzlement against present and retired employees of the authority.