ISLAMABAD: A former administrator of the Islamabad Defence Housing Authority (DHA) has taken the army-run housing scheme to court against the conversion of essential amenity plots into residential and commercial pieces of land.

Retired brigadier Qiaser Shahzad filed the petition before the Islamabad High Court (IHC) through his counsel Raja Inam Ameen Minhas, and the registrar’s office after the preliminary scrutiny fixed the petition before Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb for hearing on Thursday (today).

The petition claimed that the DHA management committee had changed the status of essential amenity plots in the Town Plan of Phase 2, DHA Islamabad, which were meant for the welfare of the bereaved families of martyrs, war wounded, differently-abled, and other persons of the defence forces.

The petition said that the DHA management committee was also the beneficiary of the ‘unauthorised’ conversion of amenity land among others.

Plea says plots meant for martyrs and differently-abled children converted into residential, commercial land

The petition said that the amenities plots were converted into residential and commercial units “to extend benefit” to the members of the then-managing committee, including the administrator and the secretary. The plea also referred to a similar case of the National Police Foundation where the NPF managing director got residential plots allotted by converting the amenity plot (reserved for a park) into a residential one, terming it a classic case of abuse of power.

The petition stated that 50 kanal on Central Boulevard reserved for a school, including a hostel for special children, had been converted into residential plots of “unusual size” of 2.5 kanal.

The petition added that almost every plot was a corner plot that was allotted to the senior management of the then-DHA administration at unprecedented subsidised rates.

It said that in addition to the school for special children, a hostel and mess was also planned for the boarding and lodging requirement for the children of bereaved families of martyrs, war wounded, differently-abled, and others.

Likewise, another 31.18 kanal plot meant for a hospital had been converted into commercial and residential units, the petition said, adding that the green belt on Iqbal Boulevard had been converted into 8 marla commercial plots allotted to the senior hierarchy of the management committee.

The petition stated that the area dedicated in the Town Plan of Sector F (Phase 5) for martyrs, war injured, differently-abled and junior ranks had been redesigned for the allotment of plots to a land-providing company, EEFC Pvt Limited, on an exemption model.

It said the company was not entitled to exemption plots, especially in this area where 50pc quota was reserved for the said categories.

The petition said the DHA act mandated the authority to adhere to the Islamabad Master Plan and that could not be altered without the approval of the government. The sub-section 5 of the act ensured the minimum quota for martyrs and junior ranks. In addition, Section 21 defines that the provisions of the DHA Islamabad Act shall be in addition to and not in derogation of any other law for the time being in force.

The aforesaid conditions implied that the DHA Islamabad master plan has to be approved by the CDA as the DHA cannot change it on its own, the petition said, asking the court to set aside the unauthorised amendments and issue direction to the DHA to restore the amenities plots in accordance with the approved master plan.

Published in Dawn, August 1st, 2024