ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court on Monday sought an urgent response from the Capital Development Authority after 20 apartment sub-lessees of the high-profile One Constitution Avenue project challenged the legal uncertainty surrounding their ownership and possession rights.
A division bench comprising Justice Muhammad Azam Khan and Justice Raja Inaam Ameen Minhas issued notices to the CDA on intra-court appeals filed by residents of the luxury development and directed the authority to submit its reply by Wednesday. The appeals were filed by several apartment owners, including former Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ehsan Mani and former Pakistan Air Force chief Mujahid Anwar Khan.
Counsel for the appellants argued that paragraph 30 of a recent single bench verdict had cast serious doubt over the legal status of apartment owners despite the fact that their possession of units in Towers B and C had already been acknowledged. The court was told that these towers were constructed according to the approved layout plan and remain occupied by lawful residents.
The petitioners informed the bench that after cancellation of the project lease in 2023, the CDA appointed its Director of Estates as administrator of the complex. A residents’ management committee was also constituted under CDA supervision to oversee routine affairs, reinforcing the claim that the authority itself had recognized the occupants.
The appellants asked the court to declare their sub-leases valid and enforceable, restrain the CDA from disturbing their possession and strike down the controversial portion of the earlier judgment. Advocate Ali Raza argued that nearly 200 residents had invested substantial sums and acquired legitimate legal rights.
Seeking immediate relief, the residents warned of renewed eviction attempts after Eidul Azha if no interim protection was granted. Justice Azam Khan directed both sides to appear fully prepared at the next hearing, setting the stage for a crucial legal showdown over one of Islamabad’s most valuable real estate projects.
