Islamabad: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has authorised the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to initiate action against illegal vertical constructions in Sector H-13, a news source reported. The court recently ruled that the civic agency had the right to take action against unapproved high-rise buildings in the area in order to protect the rights of the citizens.
As per a CDA notice issued last year, the southern half of the sector remained reserved for the construction of special buildings and institutions. Further, it had notified the status of several residential schemes and apartment buildings situated in H-13.
In response, a private builder had filed a petition in the IHC in which he had requested court orders against the CDA to prevent the body from issuing such notices which interfered in his company’s affairs. The petitioner informed the court that due to the notice issued by the CDA, distribution companies had refused to provide them with services at a stage where the project was nearing completion.
CDA Additional Legal Advisor Amir Latif Gill informed the court that the petitioner had not sought the development authority’s approval for his project construction. Sector H-13 falls within Zone-1 where construction cannot be carried out without CDA’s approval and that high-rise construction is illegal, he added.
The court decided that the CDA could not be prevented from protecting the interests of the citizens, who should be made aware of the status of buildings and housing schemes. It is the mandate of the body to issue notices against illegal projects to create awareness among the general public, it said.
