ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has come under scrutiny for its lack of action against more than a hundred illegal housing societies operating in different zones of the federal capital.
As per a report presented before a parliamentary body, these unscrupulous housing societies continue to exploit the public without any consequences, as the city managers fail to take decisive action against them.
Sources within the Directorate of Enforcement revealed that no planned operation has been conducted in the past six months to tackle these illegal housing schemes.
Instead, the directorate’s focus has been on minor encroachments within the city, which is not their primary mandate.
In addition, two key formations of the CDA, the housing societies’ directorate, and the regional planning directorate, are responsible for overseeing private housing societies in Islamabad.
However, these directorates have faced concerns about their effectiveness due to consistent leadership, often showing close ties to influential circles.
The lack of decisive action has allowed a powerful mafia to flourish in the capital, manipulating officer appointments within these directorates and thwarting any attempts by the CDA to assert its authority.
Moreover, the mafia has reaped massive profits through “China cutting,” converting land reserved for green areas, amenities, schools, and parks into commercial ventures.
Official records indicate that the CDA has declared 109 housing societies as illegal to date, spread across different zones of Islamabad.
These illegal schemes have left plot buyers in a difficult situation, as utility companies refuse to provide gas and electricity connections based on the illegal status of these housing projects.
In response to criticism, the CDA spokesperson, Syed Safdar Shah, advised the public to be cautious when investing in real estate and assured that the authority regularly issues public notices in the press.
However, when pressed for details about on-ground operations and direct legal action against sponsors of illegal housing societies, he requested time to gather input from the concerned formations.
Later, the spokesperson mentioned that action against illegal housing societies is an ongoing process, involving the issuance of notices followed by direct action against the violators.
Source: The Nation
