‘From Application to Allotment in 60 Days’: Plot allotted to Islamabad DC Memon raises questions

ISLAMABAD – Islamabad’s bureaucratic corridors are abuzz after quick allotment of plot to Deputy Commissioner Irfan Nawaz Memon in one of the capital’s prime residential sectors, as the unusually swift process raised questions about fairness, transparency, and whether established rules are applied equally to all officers. Documents reveal that Memon, a Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS) officer, was allotted a 14-marla (40×80 feet) residential plot in the prime Sector D-12/3. DC submitted his application for Category-II plot on April 20, 2023, under quota reserved for Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) employees. Within just over two weeks, on May 6, 2023, the Islamabad Chief Commissioner’s Office issued a recommendation in his favor. The process then accelerated further. On June 2, 2023, Capital Development Authority (CDA) Member Estate wrote to the Federal Government Employees Housing Authority (FGEHA), placing Plot No. 366 in Sector D-12/3 at its disposal. Barely weeks later, on June 21, 2023, the plot was formally offered to Memon. The allotment falls under the Islamabad Land Disposal Regulations (ILDR) 2005, which allow the CDA to reserve 10 percent of plots for federal government employees. FGEHA has also clarified that a 2.5 percent quota exists for employees of professional bodies, including ICT staff, with allocations made on the basis of institutional recommendations. The extraordinary speed of this case ignited criticism as thousands of government employees and citizens often remain on waiting lists for years without success, making this rapid approval stand out sharply. Observers and critics are now questioning whether the system is being applied uniformly or if influence plays a decisive role in such high-profile cases. The incident has once again brought the spotlight to discretionary quotas, which have long faced allegations of favoritism and lack of transparency in the distribution of public land. Islamabad DC or Chief Commissioner’s Office are yet