islamabad - Capital Development Authority (CDA) has failed to get the developed plots transferred in its name against the prime land it handed over to Defence Housing Authority (DHA), Islamabad under an agreement despite the lapse of over 10 years.

DHA, under the agreements dated 12th September, 2007 and 14th March, 2008, was required to hand over 729 allotment certificates/files of developed plots to CDA in the same khasra numbers where CDA owned the land. The land was gradually taken over by the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) and sold out.

According to the CDA documents, DHA and Bahria Town were allegedly involved in the possession of some part of the land in Mauza Sihala and Rawat already, even before the signing of exchange agreements between CDA and DHA in the year 2007 and 2008. As per revenue record of Islamabad Capital Territory, 149 kanals of land, out of total 321 kanals of land sold by DHA to EOBI in Phase-II Commercial area (ex-commoner Town), belonged to CDA. The land was acquired by the civic agency back in 1963-65 to develop Islamabad Expressway and an industrial area. The land was later sold to Bahria Town.

DHA had committed to the civic agency in 2007 that it would compensate it by allotting about 700 kanals of developed land against nearly 2,500 kanals of undeveloped land it had taken over. According to the CDA officials, DHA has given 682 allotment certificates as per both the agreements so far in two batches.

The first batch of 465 allotment certificates was received in November 2007 while 217 allotment letters from DHA were received on February 12, 2009. But the 500 square-yard plots that the DHA has offered in exchange for its Phase-II Extension project only existed on papers with no possession handed over to the CDA which caused severe loss to the national exchequer.

The documents show the CDA had acquired more than 530 acres in Sihala in 1963 and 1965; in Rawat, the total land measuring more than 135 acres was acquired for Islamabad Highway in 1963 and in Humak, 768 acres were acquired to establish an industrial area.

When contacted, the CDA Spokesman said that CDA officials had held a meeting with DHA representatives on the subject some one month ago. “We have got their (DHA) offer and ascertaining it. We hope that representatives from both the sides would meet next month for early resolution of the issue,” he hoped.