FIA holds probe into 34 mega projects News Comments

[Lahore_Real_Estate]

ISLAMABAD - The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) is probing into alleged irregularities in 34 projects of the Capital Development Authority (CDA), some of which have been inaugurated by Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani. And it is feared that there are some grave wrongdoings in some other projects as well, although that are not included in the list.
“Some of the development projects being probed into by the FIA are launched during the tenure of the present government. Ironically, the FIA investigators were not allowed to probe or has turned blind eyes to some other mega development projects, including Faisal Avenue Flyover and 9th Avenue, due to political pressure,” a source told Pakistan Today.
He said out of the 34 projects include Zero Point Interchange, the agro-farms allotment case, Kuri village land scam, award of tender for Kashmir Highway project, leasing out of Monal Restaurant at Pir Sohawa, Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) project in I-9, the sale of plots for construction of a hotel and apartment complex near Jinnah Convention Centre and Centaurus at F-8, renovation of CDA’s existing building, development of F-9 park, renovation of Parliament Lodges, appointments in CDA and Lake View Park project.
“Most of these projects are either completed or near to completion,” he added.
The source said some of these projects were being investigated by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), including Zero Point Interchange. The NAB found no major irregularities during the probe.
The FIA had also arrested eight CDA officials in Kuri land scam case, he said, adding that the arrested persons included a former director.
The arrests have been made in the land deal under which 4,000 plots were allotted to the locals of Kuri village as compensation against their land acquired by the authority for a housing project.
It is learnt that the FIA is also investigation the Rs 2 billion treatment plant installed in Sector I-9, which was inaugurated by the prime minister. The FIA is also investigating a deal between the CDA and a consortium for the sale of a plot, worth Rs 4.7 billion for the construction of a hotel.
The source said the National Assembly Standing Committee on Cabinet recently took the issue of the inquiries and asked the FIA officials not to harass the employees of the civic agency, especially those who were innocent.
CDA Chairman Imtiaz Inayat Elahi informed the committee that the FIA’s junior officials misbehaved with the senior officers of his organisation.