Capital Development Authority (CDA) is under pressure after military claimed that the Monal Restaurant in Margalla Hills in Islamabad is built on their land.
Naya Daur spoke to CDA officials, who said that Margala Hills were initially part of the Punjab government and this land was allotted to the British army back in 1800 before partition of the sub-continent. Around 5500 acres land is owned by military in Margala Hills on which the restaurant is built.
CDA Member (Planning) Shahid Mahmood told parliamentary panel that the Monal Restaurant was built on the military land in 2004 as CDA was not aware of the nature of the land, and now military is demanding the land be given back to it.
Before the army claimed ownership of the land, the CDA built a building on the land which was handed over to a close relative of then Chairman CDA Kamran Lashari through an auction.
A senior government official who did not wish to be named said that the owner of the restaurant is paying a nominal rent to government despite earning in millions.
The official further said that the restaurant was handed over to a close relative of then Chairman Lashari, for a period of 15-years, but the member Planning told the panel that the restaurant was handed over for 10 years.
The restaurant was built inside the National Park in prohibited zone where environmental laws didn’t allow any sort of commercial activities, but this restaurant was built in violation of the laws, the official added.
It is pertinent to mention here that military is the owner of 22000 acres of land in National Park in Margallah Hills.
A senior official of the District Municipal Administration (DMA) suggested demarcation of the said land, and added that if both CDA and military claim ownership of the land, it is best to conduct demarcation from 3rd party to identify the land that who is the real owner.
He added that the military was the owner of the land before partition, but now it isn’t clear, so demarcation is the only solution.
Naya Daur made various attempts to get the official version of high-ups of CDA but no one was ready to comment on the issue.
Naya Daur spoke to CDA officials, who said that Margala Hills were initially part of the Punjab government and this land was allotted to the British army back in 1800 before partition of the sub-continent. Around 5500 acres land is owned by military in Margala Hills on which the restaurant is built.
CDA Member (Planning) Shahid Mahmood told parliamentary panel that the Monal Restaurant was built on the military land in 2004 as CDA was not aware of the nature of the land, and now military is demanding the land be given back to it.
Before the army claimed ownership of the land, the CDA built a building on the land which was handed over to a close relative of then Chairman CDA Kamran Lashari through an auction.
A senior government official who did not wish to be named said that the owner of the restaurant is paying a nominal rent to government despite earning in millions.
The official further said that the restaurant was handed over to a close relative of then Chairman Lashari, for a period of 15-years, but the member Planning told the panel that the restaurant was handed over for 10 years.
The restaurant was built inside the National Park in prohibited zone where environmental laws didn’t allow any sort of commercial activities, but this restaurant was built in violation of the laws, the official added.
It is pertinent to mention here that military is the owner of 22000 acres of land in National Park in Margallah Hills.
A senior official of the District Municipal Administration (DMA) suggested demarcation of the said land, and added that if both CDA and military claim ownership of the land, it is best to conduct demarcation from 3rd party to identify the land that who is the real owner.
He added that the military was the owner of the land before partition, but now it isn’t clear, so demarcation is the only solution.
Naya Daur made various attempts to get the official version of high-ups of CDA but no one was ready to comment on the issue.