In Islamabad, tensions between the federal government and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government have escalated following weekend protests, leading the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to seal the KP House on Monday due to alleged building violations. This action came shortly after a police raid on KP House, where authorities sought to arrest KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, who had led PTI supporters from Peshawar to Islamabad in protest against recent constitutional amendments and the imprisonment of PTI founder Imran Khan.
CDA Special Magistrate Sardar Asif, accompanied by building control teams and police, carried out the operation. CDA officials explained that the building was sealed due to unauthorized construction, despite several notices issued since 2014 and more recently. CDA’s Media Director Shahid Kiani stated that the operation was part of a routine enforcement against both public and private buildings, emphasizing that it was unrelated to political factors.
While the CDA claims impartiality, other buildings, such as Punjab House, Balochistan House, AJK House, and Gilgit-Baltistan House, continue to operate with expired leases. Elite establishments, including the Islamabad Club, have also reportedly encroached on state land without facing similar actions. Many commercial buildings and farmhouses in Islamabad are operating with expired leases, an issue highlighted by the auditor general of Pakistan in past reports.
CDA officials noted that property owners often avoid lease renewal due to unauthorized construction that must be removed beforehand. Furthermore, the Punjab government’s irrigation department has recently faced scrutiny for building a rest house in a restricted area near Rawal Dam without approval, where CDA has already sealed two of its structures.
The CDA clarified that KP House was sealed specifically for building violations, while the lease renewal issues of other provincial houses remain under separate review. The Sindh government, for instance, has successfully renewed its lease and regularized its building.
