ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary committee has raised alarm over widespread financial irregularities and alleged fraudulent land transfers within the Capital Development Authority, highlighting serious governance failures and weak accountability mechanisms at senior levels.

The Public Accounts Committee, while reviewing CDA audit paras for the financial year 2023–24, observed that enforcement actions largely targeted junior officials, while senior officers linked to major decisions remained untouched. Members stressed that this selective accountability undermined public trust in oversight institutions.

According to audit findings, failure to impose penalties for delayed completion and non recovery of dues from sponsors of private housing schemes caused a loss of Rs2.3 billion to the national exchequer. The projects were originally scheduled for completion within three to six years, yet completion certificates were not issued between 2001 and 2021.

The committee expressed serious concern over 43 fraudulent plot transfers across multiple sectors, resulting in a loss of approximately Rs1 billion. While the Federal Investigation Agency registered cases against 37 officials including senior grade officers, members noted that none were jailed and all secured bail. The situation was further aggravated by the disappearance of official files related to these plots.

Additional losses highlighted included Rs859 million due to mismanagement in land compensation, Rs823.65 million from delayed work at Parliament Lodges over a decade, and Rs491.22 million caused by unauthorised variation orders without open tendering for a 7th Avenue intersection project.

Members also criticised CDA for financial indiscipline that led to a Rs1.91 billion loss due to non repayment of a foreign funded loan for the Simly Dam water supply project. CDA Chairman Mohammad Ali Randhawa said digitisation would curb future fraud, while ruling party members urged support for reforms and acknowledged recent infrastructure development efforts.