CDA Cracks Down on Unauthorized Housing in Islamabad

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In a bid to reestablish urban discipline and protect investors from fraudulent schemes, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has launched a comprehensive initiative targeting unapproved and illegal housing developments in Islamabad. The campaign, led by CDA Chairman and Islamabad Chief Commissioner Muhammad Ali Randhawa, aims to bring transparency, order, and enforcement to a sector long plagued by unregulated growth.

Chairing a high-level meeting, Randhawa instructed all relevant departments within the CDA and the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration to compile full records of every housing and cooperative society operating within their jurisdiction. These records are to include layout plans, no-objection certificates (NOCs), and the total number of plot allotments, particularly scrutinizing societies that issue more files than they have land to support. The chairman emphasized that detailed data, including society names, zones, and official documentation, must be systematically recorded.

Officials were ordered to pursue strict legal action against all illegal housing schemes and unregistered cooperative societies, regardless of influence or affiliation. According to CDA Member Planning Dr. Khalid Hafiz, current enforcement operations are already active across several zones, and additional steps are being considered to accelerate progress.

The meeting brought together senior officials, including Member Administration and Estate Talat Mahmood, Member Engineering Syed Mafasat Raza, and Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Irfan Nawaz Memon. Heads of planning, law, special projects, enforcement, and building control divisions also participated. Randhawa reiterated a policy of zero tolerance, declaring that illegal construction and encroachments, especially in rural and residential zones, will be dismantled to preserve the capital’s environment and character.

In a move to protect potential investors, CDA has made a list of both legal and illegal housing societies publicly accessible on its official website. This step aims to promote transparency and prevent unsuspecting buyers from falling into property scams. The meeting also reviewed enforcement against suppliers providing materials to these unauthorized developments, highlighting the administration’s holistic approach to curbing the problem from the ground up.