Islamabad High Court Maintains Stay Against CDA Action in Koral Chowk Encroachment Case
Islamabad High Court continues interim protection for petitioners challenging CDA's notices near Koral Chowk, directing the civic authority to submit its responses within two weeks.
ISLAMABAD: October 16, 2026: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has maintained its interim orders restraining the Capital Development Authority (CDA) from taking coercive action against petitioners who challenged notices concerning alleged encroachments near Koral Chowk and adjoining areas of Islamabad.
Justice Muhammad Azam Khan issued a written order dated October 14, 2026, in Writ Petition No. 5144 of 2026, titled Zarda Begum versus Capital Development Authority and seven others, along with several connected petitions involving disputes over CDA notices issued in connection with service road construction.
Court Maintains Existing Interim Protection
According to the one-page written order, the interim relief previously granted in the main petition and all connected writ petitions will remain effective until further proceedings.
The court directed that the cases be relisted after two weeks, allowing the respondents additional time to submit their replies and relevant documentation.
The order states that the interim relief already granted in the petition and connected cases shall continue.
The decision means that the judicial protection previously granted to the petitioners remains in place while the court examines the disputes. However, the latest order does not constitute a final decision on the ownership of the disputed land or the legality of the alleged encroachments.
CDA Given Two Weeks to Submit Responses
During the proceedings, counsel representing the CDA and other respondents requested additional time to submit their powers of attorney (vakalatnamas), para-wise comments and reports addressing the allegations raised in the petitions.
Accepting the request, Justice Muhammad Azam Khan directed the respondents to complete the required process within two weeks.
Barrister Bilal Naseer, Muhammad Zain Asif and Jawad Ahmed Chatha appeared on behalf of the respondents and CDA in the main and connected cases.
The proceedings also involved lawyers representing petitioners in seven connected writ petitions, including Nos. 5221, 5169, 5198, 5307, 5322, 5342 and 5209 of 2026.
Dispute Emerged Over Koral Chowk Service Road
The litigation concerns notices issued by the CDA regarding alleged encroachments affecting service road construction and widening near Koral Chowk along Islamabad Expressway.
Among the petitioners is Malik Mumtaz Ali Khan, who previously challenged a CDA notice concerning his residential property in Village Koral, Highway Street.
According to earlier court reporting, the CDA issued a notice on October 1, 2026, directing the removal of alleged encroachments within three days.
The authority identified a portion measuring approximately 35 feet and seven inches as falling within the road’s right of way, according to the petitioner’s account.
Malik Mumtaz Ali Khan maintained that he had purchased the property approximately 20 years earlier and developed the building over several years at substantial expense.
He further argued that when the service road was widened around a decade ago, a distance of approximately 30 feet had been maintained between the road and his property.
The petitioner contended that any additional land required for road widening should be acquired through lawful procedures rather than through action affecting his claimed property rights.
On October 8, the Islamabad High Court granted him interim protection against demolition and other coercive measures while seeking a response from the CDA.
CDA’s Broader Enforcement Campaign
Separately, the CDA has been conducting enforcement and building-control operations along Islamabad Expressway, including areas extending towards Koral.
The authority has maintained in its public statements that such operations are intended to address unauthorized construction, land-use violations and encroachments while supporting planned infrastructure development.
However, the legality and application of the notices challenged by the Koral Chowk petitioners remain matters before the court.
Further Hearing After Two Weeks
The Islamabad High Court has now directed the CDA and other respondents to submit the required documentation and reports within the stipulated two-week period.
The connected petitions will be taken up again after two weeks, with the existing interim protection continuing in the meantime.
The court has not yet issued a final determination on the disputed notices or the underlying property claims.
