Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: A worthy piece of green area is being used at a very low rent, in connivance with the Directorate of the Municipal Administration (DMA) by a private restaurant Meet-X and a shop has also been rented out at the Handicrafts Market on the Main Agha Khan Road in F-6 Markaz.

According to details, two adjacent markets, the flower market and the handicrafts market were established the CDA in 2005. The said markets were establishment to bring the flower vendors and handicraftsman at one place; whereas, the decision was taken by considering the addition of scenice beauty to the federal captal. In 2007, the DMA rented out the shop number one at the handicrafts market to Ms. Saira Talib, for the establishment of a coffee and ice cream shop, by ignoring the real use of the said market. The authority rented out this shop only for Rs.10,300, which is the lowest rent in the entire super market area and an attempt to favour a blue eyed person.

Later on, in 2015, the Authority once again favoured the owner of this coffee shop and granted her a permission to use another 169 square yards of land, at the rate of Rs.143 per square yard for the sitting arrangements and beautification purposes. The total rent for the open space is Rs 24,167 per month.

The said approval was clearly mentioned that the coffee shop owners could only make sitting arrangements at the site; whereas, they were barred to hold any banner or board at the site.

Currently, a full-fledged restaurant is working at the site by occupying more than 400 square yards of land; and a permanent kitchen has also been established.

The restaurant is entirely based on a favour-based culture as on one side the city managers allotted a shop meant for handicrafts to a coffee shop while on the other side, the coffee shop owners, violated their licences by encroaching upon extra land and established a complete restaurant at the site.

An officer at the DMA, said: “The allocation of the coffee shop is against the rules as the sole purpose behind the establishment of the market was to adjust the flower vendors and handicraftsmen.”

An officer, who was previously appointed in the DMA revealed that the owner of the said restaurant was well connected and nobody could take action against him.

Chief Metropolitan Officer Asad Kiani said: “The matter is not in my knowledge and if we find any wrong doing while awarding a licence then action will be taken as per the law, by the Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation. Syed Ehtsham, the Manager of Café Meet-X while talking to Daily Times has said: “We are not doing anything wrong as we obtained a licence from the CDA.”