Asif Mahmood
What is the reason that when the law knocked at the doorstep of the elite at the Grand Hyatt Tower Islamabad in Islamabad, sections of the media reacted with visible anger? Why have some journalists taken such a strong position on this issue? If the law is being enforced, what exactly is the problem, and why this reaction?
Let us take a closer look.
According to the facts that have emerged so far, in 2005, the Capital Development Authority allotted 13.5 acres of land for a five star hotel project, which BNP secured for Rs 4.8 billion, receiving possession after paying only 15 percent, yet failing to make further payments and instead repeatedly seeking rescheduling.
The case went to court, and in 2019, the Supreme Court of Pakistan directed BNP to pay Rs 17.5 billion to restore the lease, but the company has so far paid only Rs 2.9 billion and remains in default of Rs 14.5 billion, leading to the cancellation of the lease in 2023.
Apart from non payment, BNP also violated the agreement by constructing 263 residential flats on the site, despite CDA placing clear notices warning that buyers in this disputed project would be responsible for the consequences, yet buying and selling continued.
Out of the 263 flats, only 69 are occupied, while the remaining 194 are largely held and traded by property investors, and even among the occupied units, only about 15 percent are genuine residents whereas nearly 85 percent are being used for short term rentals, often referred to as Air BNP.
On the orders of the Islamabad High Court, CDA officials, along with Islamabad Police, visited the premises and issued seven day notices to occupants to vacate the flats in compliance with the court’s directives.
Although CDA had already warned buyers about the risks, the government has still decided, in a generous move, to compensate them by paying the original price.
This raises a simple but important question: if the law is being enforced, why are sections of the media upset, and what exactly is driving this reaction?
If anyone believes that these details are not accurate, they should come forward with a clearer position supported by better information and present those facts. However, if the facts are indeed the same as those being stated by the Capital Development Authority and the government, then creating unnecessary noise and raising alarm over lawful action becomes a difficult to understand approach.