CDA moves to pursue cancelled plots tied up in litigation

ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority is considering taking possession of cancelled properties and has asked its law wing to begin work on the matter, according to officials and an internal communication.

The move covers a wide range of properties, including residential, commercial, business, agro-farm and industrial plots. Officials said a large number of such plots are currently entangled in litigation, and the authority’s management has decided to proceed against these cases.

A CDA officer said the authority would act where its land or plots had remained under occupation for years without valid grounds, particularly in cases where dues had not been paid in full or only nominal amounts had been paid. The officer said CDA Member Estate Mohammad Zaman Wattoo had recently directed the civic agency’s law wing to provide details of all cancelled plots and the litigation linked to them.

In a letter, the member estate said no follow-up action was being taken on cancelled plots and that former allottees were taking advantage of the situation by entering into future sale agreements with unsuspecting buyers. The letter said this was also harming the financial interests of the CDA.

“The undersigned has come to know that no follow-up action is taken on the cancelled plots (residential, commercial, business, agro farms, industrial etc.). The ex-allottees take undue advantage of this situation and enter into agreement with the unsuspecting purchaser for future sale of the said plots/properties. In addition, the financial interest of CDA also suffers,” it stated.

The letter directed the relevant officers to prepare lists of cancelled plots, including those under litigation, and submit them within three days. It also instructed them to take legal steps to safeguard the authority’s interests. “They [concerned officers] are directed to take necessary legal action to protect the interest of CDA.”

Review of litigation and officials’ role

Officials said many CDA properties appeared to be stuck in prolonged litigation without justification. One officer said the authority would examine all such cases and would act if negligence by any CDA official was established.

The same officer said there were rumours that some officials may have played a role in the lengthy court disputes, but added that no conclusion could be drawn without examining the record. The officer said strict action would follow if negligence or connivance was proven. For that purpose, the law wing has been asked to provide details of all cancelled plots and related litigation, including the date when each case was first instituted.

The officer also said the authority intended to ensure early disposal of the cases and noted that the CDA had a large panel of lawyers as well as a full-fledged law wing.

Concern over market transactions

Another official said the management recently learned that some cancelled plots had been traded in the market through stamp papers or agreements between former allottees and new buyers. That, the official said, prompted the authority to seek complete details of all cancelled plots.

The latest move indicates a broader effort by the CDA to identify cancelled properties, review pending legal disputes and prevent further transactions involving plots whose allotments have already been withdrawn.