Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has suffered a loss of Rs 1668 million due to non-conforming use of the building allotted to the Supreme Court Bar Association at G-5/2 Islamabad some four years ago

According to documents, available with Daily Times it has been revealed that Section-2.17 of zoning (building control) regulations-2005 denotes that no land or building shall be put to a non-confirming use.

Daily Times got some evidences, which shows that the plot of 4,000 square yards was leased out on a subsidiSed rate of 4,500 per square yards for a specific purpose and now the lessee are utilising it for commercial purpose. According to terms and conditions mentioned in the allotment letter issued to the president Supreme Court Bar Association vide no.CDA/EM-II/27(2880)2011/900 on 8th of March 2011 for the lease of the plot to the lessee shall not be allowed for the plot to be used for any other purpose other than the construction of building the bar’s office. An official of the authority, who requested not to be named, claims that the lessee either should stop commercial use or the authority would recover the price of the precious plot as per the actual market rate.

It may be mentioned here that the market rate of the said plot is approximately 417,000 per square yard. If the lessee continues commercial use of the plot then he would have to pay the heavy amount of Rs 1668 million to the CDA. It has been learnt by Daily Times that the said plot of G-5/2 leased to the President Supreme Court Bar Association, later on, the bar council utilised the plot for purposes than to which it was allotted. The bar made a building but further rented out on Rs 2.7 million per month for the period of 10 years to a businessman, Zafarullah Khan Marwat who set up the Grand Ambassador Hotel, which is utterly illegal and a violation of building bylaws of the CDA.

It is worth mentioning here that the civic authority had issued a notice in this regard to President Supreme Court Bar Association on 22nd January this year for the stoppage of the non-conforming use but neither the lessee stopped the non-conforming use nor was the allotment cancelled. When asked to comment, the Director building Control Section (BCS) told Daily Times that the notice had been served in this regard but the bar association did not respond. However, another notice will be served soon to the President SCBA, to stop the non-conforming use of the said plot.