IHC Orders CDA to Resolve 60-Year-Old Islamabad Plot Dispute
ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN — WEB DESK: The Islamabad High Court has directed the Capital Development Authority (CDA) chairman to resolve a nearly six-decade-old dispute involving the allotment and subsequent cancellation of an alternative plot to an elderly citizen whose family land was acquired during the development of the federal capital.
Justice Inaam Ameen Minhas issued the directions while hearing a petition filed by senior citizen Muhammad Murtaza.
The dispute dates to 1966, when the petitioner’s family land was acquired during Islamabad’s development. According to reporting on the proceedings, an alternative plot was eventually allotted after around six decades but was subsequently cancelled, prompting the petitioner to challenge the matter before the IHC.
Court Questions Six-Decade Delay
During Wednesday’s hearing, Justice Minhas questioned why a matter dating back to 1966 remained unresolved.
The court noted that the petitioner’s father had owned the original land and that his son, now an elderly citizen, was still pursuing compensation decades later.
The judge also questioned why the CDA was relying on a letter issued in 2023 in a dispute with origins stretching back approximately 60 years.
The proceedings focused not only on Murtaza’s individual case but also on the broader treatment of people whose property is acquired for public development.
CDA Chairman Initially Absent
The court expressed displeasure when CDA Chairman Sohail Ashraf did not initially appear despite having been summoned in person.
A CDA Member Estate appeared on behalf of the authority and informed the court that the chairman could not attend.
Justice Minhas responded that the chairman had personally been summoned and directed the official to ensure his immediate appearance. The hearing was temporarily adjourned until he arrived.
Ashraf subsequently appeared before the court and explained that he had been attending a security-related meeting.
The judge reiterated that a personal summons required the chairman’s attendance.
‘Why Has Petitioner Still Not Received His Plot?’
The court then questioned the CDA chairman about the underlying dispute.
Justice Minhas asked why the petitioner had still not received his plot despite the case originating in 1966.
The chairman told the court that resolving the matter was his responsibility and said he had recently begun meeting citizens to address their grievances, according to a separate report of the proceedings.
The judge stressed that people whose property had been taken for development deserved respectful treatment.
Compensation Should Come Before Development, Court Says
One of the most significant observations concerned the treatment of people affected by government development projects.
Justice Minhas questioned the practice of allotting alternative plots to affectees and later cancelling those allotments.
The court stressed that compensating affected landowners should take priority, observing that roads, bridges and new sectors should not be treated as more important than meeting compensation obligations to people whose land has been acquired.
The observation could carry wider administrative significance for Islamabad, where disputes involving land acquisition and compensation have repeatedly reached the courts.
However, the proceedings concerned Murtaza’s specific petition, and the court has not issued a final judgment establishing a new general compensation regime.
Court Suggests Dedicated CDA Cell for Affectees
The IHC also suggested that the CDA consider establishing a dedicated cell for affectees.
Such a mechanism could identify outstanding cases and provide a specific administrative channel for citizens seeking resolution of compensation, allotment and land-acquisition disputes.
The suggestion came as the court questioned why citizens should have to pursue claims for decades after surrendering land for Islamabad’s development.
The CDA chairman assured the court that Murtaza’s case would be addressed immediately and asked the petitioner to approach the authority.
What Is the Dispute About?
The case involves land owned by the petitioner’s family that was acquired in 1966 during the establishment and development of Islamabad.
According to the available court reporting, an alternative plot was eventually allotted to the affected citizen approximately 60 years later.
That allotment was subsequently cancelled. Murtaza then approached the Islamabad High Court challenging the cancellation and seeking resolution of the longstanding dispute.
The publicly available reports do not identify the disputed alternative plot’s exact number, sector, present market value or the detailed administrative reason for its cancellation.
Those details should therefore not be inferred without the court record or CDA documentation.
Petition Remains Pending
The case has not yet been finally decided.
Following the CDA chairman’s assurance, the court directed Murtaza to approach the CDA authorities so the matter could be addressed.
The IHC kept the petition pending and adjourned proceedings until next week, allowing the authority an opportunity to resolve the dispute.
The next hearing could therefore establish whether the CDA has provided an acceptable resolution or whether further judicial directions are required.
For now, the confirmed development is that the Islamabad High Court has directed the CDA chairman to address the 60-year-old dispute and has emphasised that compensation for people affected by development projects should be treated as a priority.
