Under lock-and-key: CDA seals 10 offices in F-8

Premises include offices of USAID, narcotics ministry

ISLAMABAD:

As part of its campaign against non-conforming use of residential units in Islamabad, the Capital Development Authority on Tuesday sealed 10 houses in Sector F-8 over commercial use.

According to a statement issued by the civic agency, the total number of sealed premises for land use norm violation has reached 170.

Officials from the building control and enforcement departments, along with a CDA magistrate, carried out Tuesday’s operation.

The sealed premises include the offices of international NGO World Vision and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in Sector F-8/3. The Ministry of Narcotics Control’s office in Sector F-8/4 was also sealed. The civic agency’s spokesperson said the operation will continue until all violations are removed.

On February 23, the CDA informed the Supreme Court that since the SC took up the matter, the illegal practice had seen a 26 per cent decrease.

In its most recent report, the CDA claims that at present, some 1,258 houses across Islamabad are being used for commercial purposes. This figure was 1,695 in January 2015, when the CDA submitted its first report to the SC.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 9^th, 2016.