Daily Times

ISLAMABAD:Demolishing of three illegal floors of Safa Gold Mall is least possible option among others which are being considered by the civic body to settle the dispute, it was informed by Member Planning of Capital Development Authority (CDA) to the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday.

During the previous course of hearing in the case of Safa Gold Mall, the IHC ordered Member Planning or Member Estate to appear in person before the court to record the statement regarding a viable solution.

In response to court orders, the Member Planning Asad Mehboob Kiani has appeared before the court and stated that the CDA is considering different options to settle the dispute of three illegal floors constructed by the owner of Safa Gold Mall in violation of rules and regulations of the civic body.

The court was informed that demolishing of said illegal floors is least possible option to be preferred by the authority while imposing heavy fine on owner may solve the issue.

A source inside the CDA said, “The authority may take possession of these unauthorised floors and it is also an option to settle this dispute.”

The statement of Asad Kiani before the court is being considered as a step back by the civic body. The statement itself shows that the authority wants to regulate the unauthorised construction instead of making an example.

While responding on his statement, Member Planning Asad Kiani has said, “The demolishing is least possible option as the stakes of third parties are involved, who invested their savings in this shopping mall.”

He further clarified, “We did not completely rule out the possibility of demolishing, it is still an option, but we want to protect common people.”

He said, “In case we regularise the shopping mall then a heavy penalty would be imposed on the owner whereas those officials who were involved in granting illegal approvals would be dealt as per the law.”

When asked the Member Planning about already pending amount of Rs 390 million against the shopping mall owner, the member was no satisfactory answer to this question.

On the other side, owner of Safa Gold Mall Rana Abdul Qayum while talking to the Daily Times has said, “Why I will pay the fine when I have done all the things as per law. It was the CDA, which granted me the approvals.”

The CDA had auctioned plot number 5 in the Jinnah Super Market, where its health department was once located, in 2012 on which the Safa Gold Mall was constructed.

According to allotment letter, it was allowed to construct ground plus four stories on said plot and floor area ration was also clearly defined. There was no provision of increase in the number of stories.

But, the owner successfully managed the things and sought one after another approval for its three illegal stories from Building Control Section of the civic body.

CDA had cancelled all these illegal approvals on latter stages and constituted a committee under the chair of Member Engineering Shahid Sohail to probe the matter.

The committee finalised its recommendations and declared all approvals unlawful. The committee had also fixed the responsibility on Former Director Ghulam Murtaza Malik and a Deputy Director Ammar Idrees.

The Mayor and Chairman of CDA Shaikh Ansar Aziz found the findings of said committee unsatisfactory and ordered another inquiry in this regard, which could not be notified so far by the Member Administration besides the lapse of one month.

The upcoming moves of the CDA in this case have huge significance as these would set the precedents for whole real estate industry of the Federal Capital.