The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has partially sealed the Safa Gold Mall over the weekend.
Officials of the Building Control Section, Estate Management and enforcement directorates carried out the operation. The ICT administration provided the magisterial cover.
During the operation, the CDA team reportedly sealed the basement of the mall, food courts and the offices of the management. The action was halted after resistance from the administration.
The operation was started on the orders of the Supreme Court which had ruled last week that the construction of Safa Mall on a hospital plot was illegal and ordered to retrieve the land.
The story started nearly nine years ago when plot no. 5 at Jinnah Super Market – meant for a health facility – was sold to an investor as a commercial plot in 2010.
Later, the officials of development authority allowed the owner to build a multiple-story shopping mall there.
In 2013, the change of power in Islamabad brought trouble for the officials who had connived with the owner of the mall. They were prosecuted and sent to jail. The plot was declared illegal.
The case moved to Supreme Court, and after hearing it over the years, it finally ruled against the investors who now face a threat of losing billions of rupees’ in investment going down the drain.
However, before moving to seal it, the civic agency contacted NAB, which is also investigating corruption in the case. NAB granted permission for the operation, suggesting that the top court’s orders should be implemented in true spirit.
On the flip side, the owner of the mall, Rana Abdul Qayyum, criticized the act of sealing the mall terming it unjustice.
“My review petition has been admitted by the Supreme Court against earlier observations passed by the honorable judges in a case which was not about Safa Gold Mall.”
He argued that it was CDA’s fault to sell him a plot meant for a hospital and the authority had allowed him to build the mall before revoking the notification.
“The chairman CDA had misrepresented the facts in Supreme Court in the absence of the aggrieved party, and it is our right to go for the review,” he added.
Shame on Pakistani justice system….corrupt officials should go to the jail for selling the land, why penalize the poor investors? common people have invested their hard earn money….who would invest in this country if Gov/courts destroy businesses like this
Opaque property records and lack of property rights are one of the things holding back this country.
In this instance they should come to some arrangement with the property owner like they did with Bahria town.
“Poor investor” i like it
perh to lee keyboard ke Chay warrior..
“they were prosecuted and jailed”
These have already caused six billion dollars loss to the nation in reko diq case, imprisoned two elected prime ministers, and further penalty on Turkish karkey power producer case is in the pipeline. While the powerful are untouchable and since justice is denied, forget even a local Pakistani investing anywhere except of course in the US dollars that is destined to reach 430 rupees for a dollar in the next three years
Poor Pakistani investors ? Ooonh! Without offering bribe to CDA officers/staff how can he convert such plot to his name ? Each and every building constructed on illegal basis must be demolished, persons involved in scams should be hanged. We have to uproot the evils from gross to top level.
shop owners didn’t bribe anyone…shops were for sale and adds were published all leading newspapers…that was the time to take notice and stoped common man investing in it. The original owners long gone now its secon or 3rd buyer….anyway who cares right? wait till all citizens becoming victim of this “jungley system”
Well said Desi. Thats what really happening…
Shops were not sold, all shop were on rent
There is no fault of the owner of this building, just hang the CDA’s corrupt officials who are involved and allow the constitution of this building. It was not built overnight,it took years to built-in I am an eyewitness of it. Why our courts punish the the people who invest billions of rupees….? First punish the CDA corrupt management
How come there is never any punishment for the corrupt government officials who permitted this? Hang a few, or cut their hands, as per Islam and see how quickly this evil diminishes from our society. It is unfair to penalize the investors only.
pora perhlee bhai…
“prosecuted and jailed”
Thanks. Hope it does happen.
We feel happy when there is injustice with rich people. Even if Rana qayyum bribed CDA officials, the fault was of CDA officials. dedicating a plot for medical facility is not something divine which cannot be changed. Supereme court and CDA should have honored its deal with Rana qayyum of selling this plot. It seems unlawful from Islamic point of view.
Its a very serious issue for the people who have already bought the shops or people who are already running their business in Safa Mall.May be they didn’t know that this building has been constructed on an illegal land.. Same is my story that I invested my hard earned money in purchasing a shop in F10 Markaz, Islamabad by the name of The Emporium Mall. The shop was to be handed over to me in January 2017 after construction by the builder SAIFCO CONSTRUCTION owned by Mr Saif ur Rehman with site office at plot 11A, F10 Markaz. But the builder made some illegal construction and the building is now sealed by CDA. The builder is not doing anything and does not respond to phone calls. I can’t get my money back or the shop.
Sorry for your loss. Heard the Citizen’s Portal is quite effective. Do try to lodge a complaint. You may have to repeat several times, but at least it works.
The real owner of Safa Gold Mall was Zardari and Rana Abdul Qayyum was just a front man used by him to built that mall illegally. Everyone knew that back then and PPP made sure that the mall is up and running quickly within their tenure.
Those who remember know that the Safa Mall was not built on a vacant plot. A proper hospital/clinic was functional at the location serving the commuity. It was demolished and Safa built, as part of a dirty deed.
Yes right zardari and that kodo faisal sakhi butt were behind this whole mall
Allah in ko khark karay
Take hospital land from ppl and giving it to zardari and co
Shame on our syestem.
Cda official and zardari and kudo butt should be hanged
We appreciate Supreme Court for closure of this mall and hopefully it never opens again
Guys you all know that the owner is.not innocent and we all know how the system works in our country. He must have heavily bribed the big guns and CDA officials for having the medical facility demolished and the mall built. Have you guys seen the mall which has even illegal.construction on the top.flopr(s). If not, then go and have a look at the building from Jinnah Supper Market side and you will see how he managed all the illegal construction on the top.floor. Yes ofcourse, I feel sorry for.the shop owners and yes, they need to be compensayed and the honourable.court needs.to consider interest of the public at large as they have no fault of buying shops in an approved shopping mall
It’s fault of CDA not of investor the investor should not be deprived of his right
Those of you who think that owner is not at fault are at fault themselves. The owner got this plot through unfair means and he very well knew it by the time he took it. But the greed always closes your eyes. Every one in islamabad knew at that time this was a hospital. If an investor is Investing millions do you think he won’t verify the facts. The owner clearly knew about the facts, he did a wrong thing and now this is the result. He must face it. He probably has earned much more than he invested in terms of rent. Look what PPP has done to Karachi. At least leave one city in the country that has some by-laws.