ISLAMABAD: Owing to the weak regulatory check on part of the Capital Development Authority (CDA), there are 108 unauthorised government buildings in Islamabad.

According to a summary-cum-report presented to the federal cabinet on Tuesday, construction without approval is a violation and the violator is subject to a penalty. In case of a government department, if some design error occurs this will also result in a financial loss to the government.

Because of the negligence of the civic agency, there are a large number of unauthorised private commercial buildings in Islamabad. In E-11, 70 high-rise apartment buildings have been constructed without approval from the CDA. Similarly, unauthorised buildings have been constructed in H-10 and the rural areas of the capital, including Bhara Kahu, Rawat, Tarnol, Tramri.

In a majority of housing societies, structures were raised without approval of their building plans.

In accordance with its 1960 ordinance, the CDA is supposed to regulate buildings in the entire federal capital. But the civic agency kept itself restricted only to the sectors that resulted in the mushroom growth of unapproved buildings.

Says these buildings were constructed without approved building plans

However, now it has transpired that 108 government buildings in the capital are also unapproved which raises questions over the performance of the CDA as a regulator.

The unapproved and unauthorised buildings were built without approval of their building plans.

“Very few government departments sought building approval from the CDA,” the report said.

According to the report, the following government buildings were constructed without approval from the CDA: Institute of Statics Studies, Foreign Services Academy, Pak-Brunei Friendship Hall, Pakistan Institute of Parliamentarian Services, AJK Council Lodges, Jammu Kashmir House, Gilgit-Baltistan House, Sindh House, PTDC building at plot number 13 and 13-A, Quaid-i-Azam University, International Labour Organisation (ILO) office, Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Parc, NIRC, All Pakistan Buddhist Society, Foreign Office Lodge, Petroleum House, Federal Flood Commission, Wapda House, Polyclinic, administrative block of Staff Welfare Organisation Centre, G-6 Library, GPO in G-6, Aabpara police station, Working Women Hostel, Working Women Staff Welfare Hostel, Sara-i-Aam, two Iesco offices in G-7, Printing Corporation of Pakistan, PHA flats, senior accountant officers telecom building, ADBP head office building, office of the economist publication, post office G-7, PTCL office at G-7, Working Women Hostel G-7, PHA building G-7, National Press Trust building, Pakistan Manpower Institute building, Pims, Wapda facilitation centre, duty free shop building and Nuclear Medical Centre building.

The report said National Book Foundation building, passport office building, Wapda grid station at G-9, National Highway Authority (NHA) building at G-9, office/accommodation of the FIA building, seeds health laboratory, Federal Directorate of Education (FDE), the SSP office, Ladies Club, CDA inquiry office at G-10, Pakistan Indus River System Authority at G-10, Nadra building at G-10, International Business Centre building, water test laboratory building, Customs House and Customs Intelligence building, Survey of Pakistan at G-10, Civil Defence building G-10, police station G-11, Pakistan Meteorological Department H-8, Allama Iqbal University, Nust, Comsats University, NDMA, excise office at H-9, Judicial Academy, Suparco building in Sihala, Nescom hospital and the model prison in H-16 are also unauthorised.

When contacted, CDA spokesperson Mazhar Hussain said as per regulations all government and private buildings were supposed to get approval of their building plans from the CDA.

“Yes, besides private buildings, there are also many government buildings which were constructed without approval of building plans. We will deal with all these buildings in accordance with rule and law,” he said.

Published in Dawn, July 29th, 2020