CDA Officers Illegally Occupy Over 1,000 Government Houses in Islamabad

More than 1,000 government houses in prime locations in Islamabad remain under illegal or irregular occupation by Capital Development Authority (CDA) officers, despite audit objections and official mandates for their return. Documents reveal that 1,083 residences from the Estate Office pool were supposed to be vacated for fresh allotment, but occupants have refused to leave. Furthermore, the required 5 percent normal rent was allegedly retained by the CDA instead of being deposited into the federal treasury. Many of these officers already possess plots for private homes, yet they continue to hold state accommodations, causing significant hardship for thousands of federal employees stuck on waiting lists. In some instances, allotments were reportedly transferred to the officers' children or retained post-retirement. The issue has escalated to the Ministry of Housing and the Public Accounts Committee, which has urged the housing secretary to resolve the matter immediately. A committee comprising senior estate officials has been tasked with recovering the properties and reallocating them to eligible employees. This scandal highlights systemic corruption and mismanagement within the housing allocation framework governed by the Accommodation Allocation Rules 2002.