The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday issued notices to the Capital Development Authority (CDA) regarding an intra-court appeal filed by apartment owners of One Constitution Avenue. The appeal challenges the cancellation of the building’s lease.
A division bench, consisting of Justice Muhammad Azam Khan and Justice Inam Amin Minhas, presided over the hearing and expressed concerns about possible breaches of the Supreme Court of Pakistan’s 2019 directive. The bench questioned the implications of these violations, asking, “What will be the consequences of this?”
The court instructed the authorities to ensure that all parties involved are heard before proceeding further and ordered the case to be scheduled again at the earliest possible date.
During the proceedings, the counsel for the apartment owners highlighted that the CDA had previously been directed to devise a plan of action that protects the rights of third-party residents in the building. However, the lawyer noted that CDA officials appeared hesitant to act, fearing scrutiny from anti-corruption agencies such as the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).
In a significant development, the counsel informed the court that the Prime Minister had recently established a committee to review the issue, with its recommendations to be submitted for cabinet approval. The petitioners requested the court to suspend any disciplinary measures until the committee completes its review.
Representing the appellants, lawyer Taimur Aslam stated there was no objection to the court’s decision to uphold the lease cancellation. Nevertheless, he criticized the CDA for seeming unwilling to work toward a mutually agreeable solution.
Notably, Taimur Aslam emphasized the presence of diplomats and their families residing in the building, underscoring the potential humanitarian and diplomatic consequences of the ongoing dispute.
