Enclave-II housing scheme challenged in IHC

[Salman]

islamabad - Islamabad’s newest luxury property development, the Park Enclave-II housing scheme, has been challenged in the court as a petitioner demands inclusion of low cost units.
The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has been criticised for offering mega plots that exclusively allotted for luxury housing.
A petition before the Islamabad High Court claims that the state body has violated constitutional provisions guaranteeing fundamental rights for all.
The matter has been fixed for hearing before the court of Justice Aamer Farooq who will take up the matter (today) Thursday.
The petitioner is an aluminium worker who believes the scheme discriminates against poor and middle class people.
But the writ has angered wealthy investors who are eying up plots in the development. Mubashir Akram, a potential buyer of plot in the scheme, said that there is no illegality in the Capital Development Authority plans. “Everywhere in the world, posh areas are established for the rich people,” said Akram.
Shehzad Mughal also expressed anger at the challenge, saying there are many sectors in Islamabad that are for lower and middle classes. “Similarly, posh areas could also be established for those who can afford this kind of lifestyle,” he added.
Muhammad Ameer Khokhar, the petitioner, is represented by counsel Yasir Mehmood Chaudhary. The chairman of the CDA and its director of estate management have been named as respondents.
Khokhar is a member of the lower income groups and has no plot or house in Islamabad. “That CDA is the state institution and while announcing the present scheme, it has not created the small size plots for the people of lower income group, which is the discrimination,” added the counsel.
Yasir stated in the petition that CDA on December 10, 2015 announced Park Enclave-II housing scheme wherein only plots measuring 50x90 are available.
He contended that the scheme is violation of the constitution as CDA only offered plots measuring 50’x90’ size instead of announcing the smaller size plots that is 25’x40’, 25’x50’ by willfully ignoring the lower income groups of the society.
The court has been asked to declare the Park Enclave-II Scheme illegal and issue directions to the respondents to re-shape the housing scheme.