IHC stops DHA from acquiring land of widows

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Thursday stopped the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) from acquiring the land of two widows in Sihala town here.

The women had approached the court against a notification, issued by the land acquisition collector. On March 19, the collector allotted the 188-kanal Sihala land to DHA. The petitioners contended that the land within the Islamabad Capital Territory could not be acquired without the approval of the Capital Development Authority.

They said the land was not acquired for “public purpose” but to serve private interests.

The judge asked how the DHA could directly acquire the land without the CDA approval. The court admitted the petition for hearing and issued notices to the DHA, CDA and the district collector and also suspended implementation of the disputed notification till the next hearing.