Interior minister says govt plans to make hotel operational within months
\n ISLAMABAD
\nInterior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Wednesday announced that the government would convert the controversial One Constitution Avenue project in Islamabad into a five-star hotel within months, following the federal cabinet\u2019s approval of a joint investigation team\u2019s (JIT) report.
\nAddressing a press conference in Islamabad, Naqvi said the government would approach a major international hotel chain to operate the building, which was originally approved for a five-star hotel.
\n\u201cWe will make every effort to convert this building into a five-star hotel within the next few months, which was its original purpose,\u201d the interior minister said.
\nHe noted that Islamabad faced a severe shortage of hotels and expressed hope that an agreement with a major hotel chain would be finalised soon.
\nNaqvi said the federal cabinet had approved the JIT\u2019s findings, paving the way for the government to take legal possession of the property.
\nHe maintained that the Capital Development Authority (CDA) already held possession of the building in official records, but the cabinet\u2019s decision had now provided the necessary legal basis.
\nThe minister said the CDA\u2019s member administration would immediately assume responsibility for managing the building\u2019s affairs, with the government\u2019s priority being to make the hotel operational as soon as possible.
\nHe also assured that individuals entitled to compensation under the JIT\u2019s recommendations would receive their payments.
\nNaqvi thanked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for supporting the government\u2019s position despite criticism following its earlier move to take possession of the property.
\nHe maintained that the government was determined to apply the law equally, regardless of an individual\u2019s financial or social standing.
\n\u2018Irregularities\u2019
\nSpeaking at a separate press conference alongside Information Minister Attaullah Tarar and Minister of State Talal Chaudhry, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said the federal cabinet had approved the JIT report investigating irregularities in the project.
\nHe said the inquiry found that the project had been executed through manipulation of the bidding process, unauthorised relaxation of rules and suspicious documentation.
\nAccording to the JIT\u2019s findings, the first auction was cancelled without approval from the CDA Board, while a subsequent auction was conducted under revised terms.
\nThe report also found that restrictions concerning building height, covered area and parking requirements were relaxed without the board\u2019s approval.
\nIqbal said the project had originally been approved as a five-star hotel but apartments were subsequently sold in violation of the approved purpose.
\nThe JIT report states that 254 apartments were sold through 99-year sub-leases despite the project\u2019s approval as a hotel with serviced apartments.
\nThe inquiry also found that the lease was awarded to a private company, although the successful bidder was a four-member consortium and the company was not among its members.
\nIt further identified irregularities involving the removal of a bank guarantee requirement shortly before the lease agreement was signed.
\nThe report also raised questions about the authenticity of the project\u2019s documentation, including allegedly forged signatures and irregular registration of the lease.
\nJIT names alleged mastermind, recommends action
\nIqbal said the JIT identified Abdul Hafeez Sheikh as the alleged mastermind behind the irregularities, along with several former CDA officials and other individuals.
\nThe report also named Kamran Lashari, Dr Faisal Awan, Azhar Ali Chaudhry, Brigadier Nusrat Ullah and the late Rai Nawaz Kharal as having acted in collusion.
\nThe planning minister said Sheikh\u2019s company had been blacklisted from future public-sector projects.
\nHe maintained that the irregularities had caused losses to the national exchequer and resulted in individuals being deprived of their money.
\nIqbal said the JIT had recommended a fresh, transparent auction of the land and buildings and restoration of the project\u2019s original purpose.
\nHe added that the project should also be renamed because the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had objected to its use of the One Constitution Avenue address, which it maintained belonged to its own premises.
\nThe minister said the government had directed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to investigate the roles of those involved, including individuals who allegedly facilitated the irregularities.
\nHe also highlighted recommendations to digitise CDA records and introduce institutional reforms to prevent similar cases.
\nBuyers to receive compensation
\nInformation Minister Attaullah Tarar said the government would ensure the protection of people who had invested in the project.
\nHe said the JIT had identified serious shortcomings and that NAB would conduct its investigation on merit.
\nTarar also confirmed that Abdul Hafeez Sheikh\u2019s name was on the Exit Control List (ECL).
\nMinister of State Talal Chaudhry said the project had remained controversial for nearly two decades and that action had been taken against it twice during PML-N governments.
\nHe said all concerned individuals had been given opportunities to substantiate their claims, but seven to eight people had failed to appear despite repeated summons.
\nAccording to Chaudhry, former prime minister and PTI founder Imran Khan was among those who did not appear.
\nThe minister said NAB would be required to file a reference against those found responsible within three months.
\nHe also assured affected buyers that their principal investments would be refunded along with interest calculated using the Karachi Interbank Offered Rate (KIBOR).
\nThe JIT report recommends that the CDA compensate genuine buyers through refunds of their principal amounts, together with KIBOR-based interest or an inflation adjustment, noting that the authority had collected fees before disclaiming responsibility.
\nThe report further recommends immediate installation of appropriate fire-safety equipment and a comprehensive overhaul of CDA procedures to prevent irregularities in future development projects.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Interior minister says govt plans to make hotel operational within months ISLAMABAD Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Wednesday announced that the government would convert the controversial One Constitution Avenue project in Islamabad into a five-star hotel within months, following the federal cabinet\u2019s approval of a joint investigation team\u2019s (JIT) report. Addressing a press conference in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-575947","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-top-news"],"yoast_head":"\n