ISLAMABAD   -  The Capital Development Authority has decided to take action against the owners of illegal marriage halls and marquees as the Directorate General of Building Control has sealed 13 such premises in violation of building bylaws.

It is pertinent to mention here that at present about 80 illegal marquees and marriage halls are operating across the city. These marquees operate in E-11, Bhara Kahu, Banigala, along Kashmir Highway, G.T. Road, Murree Road, the Expressway, Lehtrar Road and Park Road, among other areas. Wedding marquees and halls have become a popular business over the last decade, during which time these establishments have spread across the capital. Earlier, there were no clear regulations regarding marriage halls and marquees but in 2018 CDA had prepared the same on war footing when then Chief Justice Saqib Nisar had taken a suo moto over the issue. fter hearing from both the CDA and marquee owners, the apex court had directed the owners of the illegal marquees and marriage halls to pay regularization charges and get a certificate from Capital Development Authority (CDA).

A very few people submitted the dues and got regularized their premises from the civic authority while about a dozen marquee owners instead of availing regularization had preferred to approach Islamabad High Court to push CDA for making classification in its dues according to the land worth of the respective area.

The Islamabad High Court had issued a restraining order and barad the civic authority from taking any cognizance against these illegal marriage halls and marquees till the settlement of regularization dispute by the court.

However, the said litigation ended adversely for the owners of marriage halls and marquees as the single bench of the Islamabad High Court dismissed their petitions in March 2024, which was also not entertained by the division bench. After court orders, CDA has once again come into action and issued show cause notices and public warnings in the national dailies and urged the owners to get their businesses regularized.

In response, a few owners approached the civic authority and either got their marquees regularized or started the process by submitting the partial dues; however, a large number was still reluctant to come under the legal framework.

Now, the building control has started a city wide operation and sealed about 13 marquees mainly on Islamabad Expressway including Paradise Complex, Adam Lodge, Mawaa, Reet, Dewan, Montreal etc. When contacted, Director General Building Control Muhammad Fasil Naeem has informed that the sealing operation was planned in phases but all the illegal marriage halls and marquees would be sealed gradually if they will not come up for the regularization.   

He said we were forced to take action against illegal wedding halls and marquees as the Islamabad High Court has categorically rejected all the petitions filed against CDA’s bylaws.

It is pertinent to mention here that the judgement rendered by Justice Baber Sattar is quite clear as he not only dismissed all the petitions together but also imposed fine on petitioners for wriggling out of the commitment made to the Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, the marquee owners who went to the court has found another setback as the CDA board has increased the charges for land use conversion charges including development charges for marquees and marriage halls from Rs. 2000 per square yard of the total site area to Rs.7500. As per the CDA’s bylaws, wedding halls and marquees must be spread over 2,000 sq yards with 50pc covered ground, and will be allowed two storey. Marquees were also allowed 2,000 sq yards, and both should have one parking space for every 250 sq ft of covered area.