IHC admits petition against allotment of plots to nine bureaucrats.

ISLAMABAD -- Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday admitted a petition filed against the 'out-of-turn' allotment of plots to nine senior bureaucrats of the country, including one in D-12 to principal secretary to the prime minister Mohammad Azam Khan.

IHC Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, after hearing preliminary arguments on the petition filed by former cabinet secretary Abu Ahmed Akif sought a reply from the Federal Government Employees Housing Foundation (FGEHF) and Capital Development Authority (CDA) until June 26 and adjourned the hearing then.

Advocate Nazir Jawad, counsel of FGEHF was present in the courtroom without a court call. He accepted the notice to submit a response to the petition.

Barrister Zafarullah Khan, counsel of the petitioner adopted before the court that CDA, in its first meeting in 2020 created these plots in violation of Rule 5 (1) of Islamabad Land Disposal Regulations 2005; whereas FGEHF 'hurriedly' allotted these plots to PM's secretary Azam Khan, Aviation Division Secretary Hasan Nasir Jamy, Secretary States and Frontier Regions Mohammad Aslam, Petroleum Division Secretary Mian Asad Hayauddin, Planning Division Secretary Zafar Hassan, Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Customs Policy Member Mohammad Javed Ghani, FBR Legal and Accounting member Fazal Yazdani Khan, Syed Ejaz Ali Shah Wasti presently posted in the establishment division and former information secretary Shafqat Jalil. 'Allotment was not only illegal but also unreasonable, tainted with malafides; it involves procedural impropriety, hence, the entire process of creation and allotment of plots under challenge is liable to be set aside. Since D-12 is an already developed sector, therefore, under ILD Regulations 2005, CDA cannot allot a plot in this sector to any serving or retired officer. CDA made a decision to amend the layout plan of the sector and has given one month to...