NAB transfers 6,500 kanals of amenity land from two housing societies to CDA

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Islamabad/Rawalpindi said on Thursday it had secured the transfer of 6,500 kanals of amenity plots and public utility land from two private housing societies to the Capital Development Authority (CDA).

According to a NAB press release, the move addressed long-standing issues related to regulatory compliance, including delays in transferring land and the unlawful use of areas reserved for public purposes within housing schemes.

The bureau said a high-level meeting held last week had decided to speed up the transfer of amenity land under the applicable legal and regulatory framework. The process was completed under the direct supervision of Director General NAB Islamabad/Rawalpindi Waqar Ahmed Chauhan through coordinated efforts by senior officers.

In the first phase, 5,484.76 kanals of amenity land in Gulberg Residencia and 999 kanals in Margalla View D-17 were formally transferred to the CDA. A registration ceremony was also held at NAB Islamabad/Rawalpindi to mark the transfer.

NAB said matters involving additional housing societies had also reached advanced stages of execution.

Land valuation and further transfers

Based on available assessments, the value of the transferred land is approximately Rs41 billion under Deputy Commissioner rates, while the estimated market value of the public utility component stands at Rs25.43 billion, according to NAB. In total, land worth around Rs66 billion has been secured and transferred to the CDA.

The bureau further said that another 4,500 kanals of land from other housing societies is expected to be transferred in the coming weeks.

Around 4,793 kanals of public and amenity land across several housing societies had been transferred through mutation in favour of the regulator. NAB cited the Civil Employees Housing Society case as an example, saying the matter, which had remained pending for nearly 31 years, had now been conclusively processed.

In addition, mutation of more than 2,500 kanals is currently under consideration and is being processed for early completion, the bureau said.

NAB chairman meets housing minister

Separately, NAB Chairman retired Lt-Gen Nazir Ahmed met Federal Minister for Housing and Works Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada at the Ministry of Housing and Works.

During the meeting, the minister said some decisions taken in previous governments had caused significant losses to the national exchequer.

According to NAB, the chairman discussed proposals aimed at improving the use of the ministry’s valuable assets for housing development in different cities across Pakistan. He also stressed the importance of adopting successful international housing models and proposed launching pilot projects in the Islamabad Capital Territory that could later be replicated in other parts of the country.

Nazir Ahmed also underscored the need for transparent and fair policies concerning government assets and assured NAB’s full support for the ministry’s efforts to prevent maladministration and corruption in such projects.

Briefing on Karachi estate properties

Federal Secretary Housing and Works retired Capt Muhammad Mehmood briefed participants on the status of estate properties in Karachi.

He said more than 3,000 residential units spread over about 512 acres were currently under the jurisdiction of the Estate Office, which is an attached department of the Ministry of Housing and Works.

According to the secretary, many of these properties were affected by legal disputes, unauthorised occupation and entitlement-related issues, causing substantial losses to the national exchequer.

He said these issues could be addressed through a comprehensive and revitalised policy framework backed by strong institutional coordination, including NAB and the judiciary.