All institutions, including FIA, busy in housing society business: IHC

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Islamabad High Court Athar Minullah said on Wednesday that every state institution “seems to be busy in the business of real estate” while they should rather be the one looking into the irregularities of the business.

The IHC CJ passed the remarks while hearing a case pertaining to housing societies in the federal capital being established under the name of state institutions. “Is the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) authorised to do business? FIA should be the one looking into these matters but it has become a part of it,” the judge remarked.

The judge pointed out that serving officials are a part of the real estate business. “Is the Capital Development Authority a regulator or not? The city’s environment seems to be in shambles.”

Responding to the objection, the officials from the cooperative societies stated that the societies have been established by the officials, not the institutions. “The institutions, not employees, are building and operating these housing societies,” interjected the IHC judge.

The complainant’s lawyer then said that the FIA bought the land for its employees but then sold it to a housing society. The court, after hearing the arguments, summoned deputy commissioner and CDA officials in the matter and adjourned the hearing until tomorrow.