Nonconforming Use: CDA yet to crack down on PHA flats

The apex court had asked CDA to take action against the commercial use of residential buildings in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: The CDA and the Pakistan Housing Authority (PHA) have failed to implement orders of the Supreme Court to enforce building by-laws in the capital. The apex court had asked CDA to take action against commercial use of residential buildings in Islamabad without exception. However, a number of business owners had shifted their businesses to 208 PHA flats near Zero Point in Sector G-7/1, which have somehow been ignored by the civic agency. Though the flats are for strictly residential use around half of its occupants run businesses out of them. Kamran Raza, who operates a business from a flat in Sector G-7/1, told APP that these flats help businessmen avoid notices by CDA, save rent and even evade taxes.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 27^th, 2017.