The Islamabad High Court on Wednesday declined to grant immediate relief to 20 sub-lease holders and apartment owners of One Constitution Avenue as legal proceedings continue over the cancellation of the project’s principal lease.
A two-member bench comprising Justice Muhammad Azam Khan and Justice Inam Ameen Minhas took up intra-court appeals filed by several affected parties, including former air chief Mujahid Anwar Khan, former International Cricket Council president Ahsan Mani, and former Senate chairman Wasim Sajjad.
The appellants are challenging an earlier ruling and have sought protection of third-party rights up to paragraph 30 of that decision.
During the hearing, senior advocates Taimur Aslam and Ali Raza represented the apartment owners, arguing that purchasers who acquired units in good faith should not suffer due to disputes over the main lease.
They maintained that the case concerns the rights of end-users who invested in the project legally and transparently.
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On the other side, advocate Kashif Ali Malik appeared on behalf of the Capital Development Authority. The court observed that the matter under consideration related strictly to the rights of the affected apartment owners and not to BNP, the developer associated with the project.
Responding to the bench’s observations, CDA’s counsel stated that the authority’s board would take a decision strictly in accordance with the law. The court subsequently directed the CDA to seek formal instructions and submit a detailed written response addressing the concerns raised by the appellants.
After issuing directions, the bench adjourned further proceedings in the case until May 25, keeping the question of interim relief open while awaiting the authority’s reply.
The outcome is being closely watched by property owners and investors, as it could set an important precedent for third-party rights in large-scale real estate disputes in Islamabad.
