ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court on Thursday ordered the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to de-seal a portion of Marriott Hotel.

IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq while hearing a petition filed by Advocate Zainab Janjua on behalf of Marriott Hotel ordered de-sealing of the sealed premises of the five-star hotel.

After suspending CDA’s action, the court also sought a reply from the civic agency on Friday (today).

On Wednesday, the CDA sealed a portion of Marriott Hotel for alleged violations. The CDA’s building control wing sealed a marquee hall of the hotel, an office of the hotel management and a gym.

Civic agency sealed a portion of five-star hotel for alleged violations

A CDA official said that the management of the hotel had been using the basement in violation of rules besides making alleged illegal construction in setbacks.

The official also alleged that the management of the hotel had been using a greenbelt for parking. He said the hotel was also operating without a completion certificate. The CDA also claimed that the hotel had failed to pay outstanding dues of Rs160 million of the CDA.

The IHC will take up the matter again on Friday.

Meanwhile, sources said till 7pm on Thursday the sealed premises of the hotel had not been de-sealed, as the CDA was waiting for a certified copy of the IHC decision.

A meeting was also held by officers of the law wing of the CDA and building control directorate to prepare CDA’s point of view for the Friday hearing.

An official claimed that the CDA had been issuing notices to the hotel management for the last 15 years to remove violations, but they did not comply. “We will share correspondence with the court,” he said.

Islamabad has only two five-star hotels — Marriott and Serena.

The CDA wanted to set up two more such hotels in Islamabad and a few days ago it held auctions of two plots located in F-5 — one adjacent to Marriott. However, CDA could not receive the bid at par with its reserved price of Rs823,000 per sq yards as Hashoo Group, which owns Marriott, offered Rs250,000 per sq yard.

Sources said the CDA was now mulling to dispose of the plots through public-private partnership and soon will take up the issue with the federal government.

“We have only two options: either to go for a fresh auction after some months or go for the public-private partnership. We will refer this matter to the federal government for a final decision,” the official said.

Published in Dawn, December 20th, 2024