CDA under pressure to create new plots

Islamabad

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) is under immense pressure from National Assembly Deputy Speaker Murtaza Javed Abbasi to modify lay out plan of Margalla Town to create 20 new plots worth hundreds of millions and allot them to his nominees, The News has learnt.

Top CDA sources claimed that the management was resisting the pressure of the NA deputy speaker, a top leader of ruling PML-N who also owns a property business according to his statements of assets submitted with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

According to top CDA sources, Murtaza Javed also influenced transfer of around a 100 lucrative plots to his favourite property dealer during last one and a half years. The property dealer who is allegedly working as front man of the parliamentary office holder had allegedly earned more than Rs100 million during the process.

In deviation from usual practice, the NA deputy speaker was last week spotted in office of CDA chairman along with his favourite property dealer to reportedly discuss the creation of new plots and speedy transfer of plots to the dealer.

When contacted by The News, the PML-N stalwart admitted that he was asking CDA to create new plots in Margalla Town but maintained that he was fighting the case of genuine Islamabad affected people who were evicted from their land during the construction of federal capital.

He also admitted visiting the CDA chairman with property dealer but maintained that the meeting was about construction of 104 family suits for the parliamentarians.

At least two CDA Board members and several land department officials confirmed to The News that they were summoned by the NA deputy speaker at his chamber and told to cooperate with a particular property dealer ‘Kiani’. “We were told by the NA deputy speaker that Kiani is his man and we must cooperate with him,” a member of CDA Board told The News requesting anonymity.

While asked, the NA deputy speaker admitted making recommendation for Kiani but maintained that the latter was his voter and a distant relative so he had to support him.

The interference of Murtaza Javed in CDA affairs is so open that it also reflected in Islamabad High Court observations. The name was also mentioned by Islamabad High Court Judge Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui during hearing of a case about corruption in CDA. While hearing the case on January 30 2015, Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui observed: “CDA is making appointment and transfer under the pressure of NA deputy speaker.”

Referring to the appointment of a deputy director land in CDA, the IHC observed that the official was appointed against the post by giving bribe of Rs8 million.

Land Department in CDA is a gold mine for political touts, tainted journalists and corrupt officials as it involved transaction of plots worth billions of rupees.

While genuine land affected people of Islamabad are not even allowed to enter the CDA office, the influential like favourite property dealer of the NA deputy speaker buy claims from the poor affected people on throw-away prices and earn Rs1 to Rs3 million by getting those claims processed through “influence” and “power”.

“Yes, some people apply tyres to files through money we apply tyres to our files through “(power) after buying claims from the genuine effected people,” said property dealer Kiani while asked why he used name of Murtaza Javed in land department.

“In CDA nothing can be done without use of money or power so being a voter and supporter of the deputy speaker I seek his help to process my files,” he said.

Kiani claimed he was doing a legitimate property business in Islamabad for last several years and Murtaza Javaid Abbasi was not his business-partner.

“I do financially support him during election campaign etc but he is not my partner,” he said. He admitted meeting the CDA chairman with NA deputy speaker but said the agenda of meeting was construction of family suits only.

About creation of new plots in Margalla Town, he said, the move was aimed to help the genuine affected people.

When asked CDA was also proving the illegal allotment of agro-farm 80 which was also linked to him, Kiani denied any role in the transfer of expensive agro farm.

Top CDA management claims a variety of measures have been taken to reduce corruption in land department and facilitate the genuine affected people but the corruption is so rampant that even a low level officer Khalid Khokhar is accused of Rs750 million embezzlement and facing an FIA inquiry. The land team has been changed thrice in last two years but the corruption continues unabated.

When contacted by The News, CDA Chairman Maroof Afzal admitted facing political pressure without naming the politician.

“There are all sorts of pressures on us as well as at various tiers within CDA, bureaucratic political etc. but succumbing to pressure is no excuse. We have not issued any instructions to the directors in land and other department to heed to any sort of pressure. If anything wrong is done under pressure we will take action and are taking action which will expose any wrongdoing on part of anyone. It is the job of government servant to handle pressure,” he said.

The chairman said he had ordered several inquiries to probe allegation of corruptions.

“As for the issue of touts that is a reality and efforts are always made to check the same. The land team has been changed thrice in last two years and only recently a complete reshuffle has been done with a view to improving performance. However, this is something we find as a perennial problem. It is an unfortunate reality,” he added.

He said various measures had been taken to check movement of touts and unconcerned individuals on CDA premises. However, in an organisation that had a sanctioned strength of 18,000 it’s very difficult to implement this ban but they were trying. Also when there was activity, there were such complaints and addressing these complaints was mandatory.

Chairman said CDA came with a history and a lot of baggage and various mega corruption scams were reported in past but for last one year things had improved.

“This very CDA is the same organisation that had landed into various scandals in not too distant a past including Kurri Scandal involving more than 7,000 bogus allotments, and Park Enclave where 600 plots were sold without an inch of land possession. However, now by the grace of Allah, CDA has a surplus of Rs5 billion at any point of time now. The resounding success of the recent auctions speaks of the confidence of investors in the organisation,” he added.

While contacted by The News, NA Deputy Speaker Murtaza Javaid said he regularly interacted with the CDA in connection with the construction of 104 family suits for parliamentarians. “The project is being delayed and the CDA officials are asked to speed up the process,” he said.

He denied doing any property business saying he was only involved in mining business while also holding a share in a flour mill.

Although Deputy Speaker claimed that he hds no property business, the statement of his assets submitted with the ECP showed he owned a property dealing company named Kohistan Property and Abbasi Brothers.

The Deputy Speaker said CDA officials were not facilitating the affected people of his constituency. “Nothing in CDA is done without money (bribe)”.

Talking about his recent meeting with the CDA chairman in the latter’s office along with a property dealer, he said, “I had to go to Peshawar so I went through the CDA office. Upon seeing me in CDA, the property dealer joined me,” he said.