PM constitutes high-level committee over One Constitution Avenue dispute, stays official action

PM issues directives after authorities move to vacate Avenue post-IHC ruling

ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday constituted a high-level committee to review the matter of One Constitution Avenue after authorities took control of a multi-storey residential building following a ruling by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in a long-running dispute over the cancellation of its lease.

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According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, the committee would be headed by Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar and will include Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry, the Cabinet Secretary, and the Commerce Secretary as members.

The committee was tasked with examining all aspects of the issue and submitting a comprehensive report to the prime minister within one week. During this period, all affected individuals would be allowed to present their concerns before the committee, which would hear all parties and stakeholders without any discrimination.

Until a final decision was taken by the prime minister, the Islamabad administration and the Capital Development Authority (CDA) would refrain from taking any further action in the matter.

“The prime minister has issued directives for the formation of this special committee to ensure that the requirements of justice are fully met in the One Constitution Avenue case,” the PM Office statement said.

Earlier, police and district administration took control of the multi-storey residential building on Constitution Avenue following the IHC ruling.

Police teams were deployed at all entry points of the “One Constitution Avenue” building, and residents were instructed to vacate their apartments by midnight. Several flats were already vacated, while occupants of some units were still moving their belongings.

The move followed the court’s decision a day earlier, prompting immediate administrative action on the ground.

The case centres on the CDA's cancellation of the project’s lease. BNP Company had challenged the decision in the IHC, seeking restoration of the lease.

IHC Chief Justice Sarfraz Dogar announced a short order dismissing the petition against the lease cancellation and disposing of related applications filed by apartment owners.

Residents argued that the CDA had approved the building plan and issued a no-objection certificate (NOC), after which apartments were purchased. They maintained the dispute was between the CDA and the developer and should be resolved between the concerned parties.

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The project originally stems from a 13.5-acre plot awarded to BNP Group following an auction on March 9, 2005, for Rs4.88 billion. Although possession was handed over the same year after an initial payment of Rs800 million, BNP has so far paid Rs1.02b, while the remaining Rs3.85b is recoverable in instalments until 2026.

In July 2016, the CDA cancelled the lease, citing multiple violations. The decision was upheld by the IHC in 2017, which also declared the conversion of a planned five-star hotel into luxury apartments illegal. However, the Supreme Court set aside that judgment in early 2019, directing the developer to pay Rs17.5b in instalments over eight years.

The CDA argued that BNP failed to meet its financial obligations after 21 years, maintaining that full ownership was conditional upon 100% payment of the land cost. Of the total Rs17.5b liability, only Rs2.9b — around 16.6% — has reportedly been paid.

The complex is reported to include apartments owned by several prominent figures, including Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder Imran Khan, Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan, Shandana Gulzar Aurangzeb, former minister Burjees Tahir, former caretaker prime minister Nasirul Mulk and Kashmala Tariq.