NoC to Aleem's housing society: IHC directs CDA to submit report

The Islamabad High Court Thursday directed the chairman Capital Development Authority to submit report in a petition filed against CDA's permission to a private housing society of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's Aleem Khan to use land which was acquired for road construction.

A single bench of IHC comprising Chief Justice Athar Minallah heard a matter related to alleged occupation of land by Aleem Khan's society and deferred hearing till next Friday after directing the chairman CDA to submit his report in this matter.

During the hearing, Chairman CDA Aamer Ahmad Ali appeared before the court in person. He informed that the CDA Board had issued NOC to the society during the tenure of the previous government. He requested the court to give some time and the body would inform the court about facts after scrutinizing the matter.

Housing society's counsel Babar Awan said they have confidence in the court, and the court should decide the matter after hearing them. The IHC Chief Justice remarked that local persons prayed for the registration of an FIR but first the court would wait for CDA report about the facts of government land.

The court also barred the usage of controversial land till further orders. Previously, the IHC Chief Justice, on a petition filed by a landowner, had summoned the CDA chairman and directed him "to satisfy as to why a criminal case [may not] be registered for allowing acquired land to be used by a private profit-making entity."

Justice Athar issued these directions while hearing the petition filed by Farhan Mustafa seeking registration of criminal case against Aleem Khan's private housing society for encroaching upon his land and during the course of hearing the court had noticed that the matter pertained to acquired land of the CDA.

Later, CDA Director (Land) Nisar Ishtiaq appeared before the court and acknowledged that CDA Board on May 9 last year allowed utilization of acquired land by the sponsors of the private housing society.

The court observed, "Director (Land), however, could not explain and satisfy the IHC that the CDA has the jurisdiction to give approval for utilization of acquired land by a private profit earning housing society in a non-transparent manner."

In his petition, the petitioner alleged the private housing society is owned by an influential person who is allegedly using his influence to forcibly evict the persons who are in possession of land.

Advocate Hafeezullah Yaqoob, counsel for Aleem Khan, on the other hand told the court that the dispute was over a 12 kanals of land where the private society is constructing the access road.