The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has cancelled the 2010 layout plan for Bahria Town’s phases III-E and IV, citing prolonged violations of approved terms, and has suspended processing of all other pending cases involving the company over its default status.
The cancellation covers a 2,999-kanal development that CDA’s Housing Directorate had approved in December 2010, subject to specific terms and conditions. In a letter to Bahria Town management, the directorate stated that the developer had failed to meet these conditions and had not secured the required no-objection certificate (NOC) for the scheme, despite nearly 15 years passing since approval.
CDA said Bahria Town had been directed earlier this year to vacate and restore all plots designated for public amenities, including parks, playgrounds, open spaces and public buildings, in line with the approved layout. When the company submitted a response to the notice, the authority rejected it as not grounded in facts and subsequently issued a final show-cause notice in September last year.
The letter also referenced a 2023-24 audit finding by the Directorate General of Federal Audit, which flagged illegal commercial construction along Corniche Road in Bahria Town Phase III-E and IV, Zone 5, carried out without CDA approval. The Departmental Account Committee, headed by the Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, reviewed the audit finding and ordered the removal of illegal commercial buildings built on a riverbed, graveyard and open space.
Citing these violations, CDA declared the December 18, 2010 layout plan cancelled and withdrawn with immediate effect. The authority has also suspended approval of all other pending cases linked to Bahria Town, describing the company as a defaulter. Separately, CDA’s Housing Directorate has instructed its enforcement wing to proceed with the demolition and removal of structures built under the now-cancelled scheme.
Responding to the decision, a Bahria Town official called the move illegal, saying the company had submitted a revised layout plan for approval but that CDA unilaterally cancelled the earlier plan instead of reviewing the new submission. The official said Bahria Town would challenge the decision in available forums, including the courts.
