PM Sharif forms committee, halts eviction from One Constitution Avenue building

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday formed a high-level committee to review the controversial One Constitution Avenue case in Islamabad, effectively putting a pause on further administrative action following recent evictions from the high-profile building in the capital’s Red Zone.

According to an official statement, the committee will be headed by Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar and will include Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry, cabinet and commerce secretaries as members.

The committee has been tasked with conducting a comprehensive review of the entire matter and submitting a detailed report to the prime minister within one week, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office.

The statement said that the panel will hear all affected parties and stakeholders without discrimination, allowing any aggrieved person to present their position before the committee.

The government has directed that no further action will be taken by the Islamabad administration or the Capital Development Authority (CDA) until a final decision is made by the prime minister on the committee’s recommendations.

The move comes after the CDA and Islamabad district administration carried out an overnight evacuation operation at One Constitution Avenue on Thursday, following an Islamabad High Court (IHC) ruling upholding the cancellation of the building’s lease over a multi-billion-rupee default.

The court had dismissed appeals filed by BNP (Private) Limited and apartment occupants, effectively endorsing the CDA’s decision to cancel the lease of the disputed property.

The case relates to a five-star hotel project awarded nearly two decades ago, which was later converted into residential apartments and commercial space. The CDA said the developer had failed to meet financial obligations, paying only Rs2.9 billion out of a total liability of Rs17.5 billion.

Court proceedings also referenced earlier Supreme Court and high court rulings, regulatory investigations by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), and pending accountability proceedings before the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

The dispute has drawn attention due to reports that several prominent political and public figures owned apartments in the building.

Apartments in the building were also reportedly owned by prominent personalities, including PTI founder Imran Khan, Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan, Shandana Gulzar Aurangzeb, former minister Burjees Tahir, former caretaker prime minister Nasirul Mulk and Kashmala Tariq.