Illegal activities: Use of residential buildings for commercial purpose becomes a practice

Residents experience difficulties, question efficiency of concerned departments

ISLAMABAD: The illegal use of residential buildings for commercial purposes is a big question mark over the efficiency of the concerned departments. This is due to the fact that such violations have been going on persistently for the past several years.

A survey of various areas of the capital city revealed that majority of the residential premises were being used for commercial purposes including guest houses, beauty parlors, health clubs, property offices and much more due to the negligence of the authorities concerned.

A resident of G-13, Muhammad Hammad said that such a trend was flourishing day by day, causing troubles for residents leaving them in a state of disturbance constantly as the authorities concerned were too reluctant to deal with such a common illegal practice.

A businessman Muhammad Hayyat said that the use of residential spaces was causing a loss to the business community working in commercial areas paying commercial rates and earning less, while the violators doing businesses in residential areas were paying domestic rates whereas the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and Federal Government Employees Housing Foundation (FGEHF) remain hesitant to take any action against the violators.

The citizens have questioned why the authorities concerned have not taken action against such violations and claimed that such illegal practices were taking place with the help of some employees of the concerned departments, who were allegedly making a profit from supporting such practices. The concerned departments have the authority to cancel plots as well as removing utility services of residential places found involved in commercial activities.

They also have the option to impose fines; however civic bodies have taken no action in this regard.

The residents of the federal capital have requested the authorities concerned to ban all such illegal commercial activities in residential areas and urged for a permanent solution to such practices.

When contacted in this regard an official of the CDA said that action was being taken on the directions of the Supreme Court against illegal usage of private residential buildings for commercial purposes. He further added that notices have already been served to such violators, while action will be taken soon.

He disclosed that recently operation clean up was being conducted against encroachments without any discrimination that will continue till the last encroachment is removed. Moreover he informed that operation against illegal commercial usage of residential buildings will also be started soon.  

Published in The Express Tribune, September 14^th, 2018.