ISLAMABAD: Uncertainty grips about 200,000 residents of Ghauri Town as its owner has filed a legal suit seeking cancellation of an agreement under which he took over the society from its previous owners.

Chaudhry Mohammad Usman Akram filed the suit for declaration, cancellation of the agreement that changed the ownership of the private housing society.

On May 19, 2020, Mr Akram signed a deal with the previous owners - Raja Ali Akbar and Chaudhry Abdul Rahman - according to which the housing society was transferred to him along with its 40pc liabilities.

However, under the deal, the previous owners also gave an undertaking to share 60pc of the total liabilities by transferring certain properties and assets to Mr Akram.

Petition says previous owners did not transfer assets to enable him to clear liabilities

In the petition he filed with the senior civil judge of Islamabad, Mr Akram said despite repeated requests the previous owners never transferred the assets to enable him to clear the liabilities worth millions of rupees and develop plots for those affected when the society was managed by its previous owners.

“The plaintiff [Akram] has been made scapegoat for the wrongs committed by the predecessor in interest of the defendants and his company especially with regard to the over-sale/double sale of the plots or other matters related therewith,” the petition said, adding “the plaintiff had to face various civil and criminal proceedings on account of the wrongdoings of the predecessor in interest of the defendants [Akbar and Rahman] and their company to which he had absolutely no connection whatsoever,” stated the petition.

According to the petition, the plaintiff incurred Rs800 million in settlements of claims with allottees of plots and landowners. Besides, an enormous amount was spent on maintenance, development, beautification and salaries of the staff without any return, it added.

It said the plaintiff made several efforts in order to settle the issues with the defendants but they did not respond positively.

The petition requested the court to issue a declaration to cancel the agreement and order the defendants to pay Rs800 million to Mr Akram which he spent on the housing society.

Advocate Rana Mohammad Qayyum, a resident of the housing society, told Dawn that owing to the issue the land mafia had become active and started encroaching on the already allotted land and the residents were living in uncertainty.

Mr Akram, through a video message, expressed dissociation with Ghauri Town but in order to calm down the residents assured them to manage the affairs of the housing society till the final settlement of the dispute through the court. He also requested the authorities to constitute a commission to ascertain the alleged wrongdoings.

The real estate agents of the housing society also expressed their concerns and met the incumbent and previous owners.

However, Raja Jahangir Akbar, son of a previous owner, said his late father - Mr Akbar - and his partner Mr Rahman had transferred the society to Mr Akram along with the liabilities.

He, however, said in case Mr Akram desired cancellation of the agreement it should be done in a proper manner. And if the ownership is reversed, he as well as other stakeholders will be under obligation to clear the liabilities.

Published in Dawn, February 13th, 2022