The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has asked the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to hand the Jeddah Town project and its related records to the authority. The CDA reportedly wants to restart the construction of the housing scheme. Pakistan Today has learnt that the project was delayed as the NAB authorities had not provided the CDA the project’s record or the possession of its land as the NAB was waiting for the appointment of its new chairman. Sources in the CDA said construction work on the project was delayed as the apex court had restrained the NAB authorities from handing over the records until the appointment of its new chairman. Since the appointment of Admiral (retd) Fasih Bukhari as the NAB chairman, the CDA has sent a letter regarding handing over the land’s possession to the authority.
“CDA is now waiting for NAB’s reply on the issue. Discussions were also held between the NAB and CDA on the Jeddah town project,” said the source. A senior CDA official told Pakistan Today that a meeting between the CDA and NAB representatives is likely to be scheduled soon. In 2008, after finding enormous irregularities committed by a private firm in the development of Jeddah town, the NAB in collaboration with the CDA took possession of the housing scheme. The NAB also recovered the money laundered by Syed Muhammad Makhdoom Gilani.
The CDA was scheduled to start development work on the project but was unable to do that after failing to get the project’s record from NAB. Jeddah Town was launched in 1991 and offered 231 plots for sale over an area of 293 kanals. The Jeddah Town plan initially violated rules that state that a minimum of 800 kanals were required for the development of such a housing scheme. The project’s owners later added 507 kanals to the land already available and got a revised plan approved by the CDA.
The Jeddah Town owners were legally bound to develop the scheme within three years of its approval, but they started selling undeveloped plots to Pakistani expatriates living in Saudi Arabia, UK and UAE after receiving payment for developed plots. “Millions of rupees were extorted from over 927 expatriates. When they approached the NAB, it ordered an enquiry that resulted in arrest of the chief executive of the housing scheme, Syed Muhammad Makhdoom Gillani,” said the source.
NAB has so far not given Jeddah Town record to CDA
