ISLAMABAD: Investigators probing the Islamabad Cooperative Housing Society (ICHS) scandal have uncovered what officials describe as one of the biggest housing frauds in Pakistan’s history, with nearly 36,000 plot files allegedly issued illegally despite the society lacking sufficient land to support them.
Sources privy to the ongoing investigation by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Rawalpindi-Islamabad, told The News the society’s approved Layout Plan (LOP) and available land bank allowed for the issuance of only around 6,000 files. However, former office-bearers and alleged facilitators are accused of issuing approximately 42,000 files, creating a massive gap between available land and promised allotments.
According to investigators, around 36,000 files issued by the society have so far been identified as illegal, excessive, or unsupported by available land, raising serious questions about alleged fraud, mismanagement and abuse of authority over several years.
The investigation has further revealed that complete payment and allotment records for thousands of files are either missing or unavailable. Officials say many citizens were allegedly sold plot files against land that did not exist, lacked legal approval or was never properly documented.
Sources said the enormous discrepancy between the society’s land bank and the number of files issued suggests that fake, duplicate and excessive files may have been systematically used to collect billions of rupees from the public. Investigators have so far detected financial irregularities exceeding Rs16 billion, although officials believe the figure could increase significantly as scrutiny of records and financial transactions continues. NAB officials confirmed that seven suspects linked to the former management committee and a land dealing company have been arrested in connection with the case. Those taken into custody include former Secretary General Mehdi Khan Shakir, former Treasurer Malik Muhammad Nawaz, former Executive Member Muhammad Arshad, and four individuals associated with Land Stock Dealing Point Company — Munir Akhtar, Ali Mahmood, Yameen Malik and Ghulam Jillani.
Meanwhile, the Accountability Court, Islamabad, has granted NAB seven-day physical remand of the accused to facilitate further investigation, recovery of documentary evidence, tracing of financial trails and identification of additional facilitators allegedly involved in the scam. Officials familiar with the inquiry said the case could expand further as investigators examine the role of other individuals connected to the society’s administration, land management and financial operations. Different teams are investigating on different aspects of the crime to ensure speedy completion of the probe. It is expected that more suspects are to be arrested as the investigation proceeds.
