ISLAMABAD: At its core, the “One Constitution Avenue Scandal” is a 20-year dispute over unpaid dues and illegal construction that left 200+ families facing midnight eviction from Islamabad’s most expensive address.
1. How it started: A hotel that became luxury flats
On March 9, 2005, the Capital Development Authority auctioned 13.5 acres of prime land on Constitution Avenue to BNP Group for Rs4.88 billion. The lease was explicit: build a 5-star hotel within a 99-year lease period.
Possession was handed over the same year after BNP paid Rs800 million upfront. But instead of a hotel, BNP built the 22-storey “One Constitution Avenue” twin towers and sold over 250 luxury apartments to private buyers. The buyer list included high-profile names like former PM Imran Khan, former caretaker PM Nasirul Mulk, and senior lawyer Aitzaz Ahsan.
CDA says this conversion from hotel to residential was illegal and violated the lease terms.
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2. The money problem: 21 years of default
The lease wasn’t the only breach. BNP’s payment record became the bigger issue.
– Original deal (2005): Rs4.88 billion total, payable in instalments until 2026
– Supreme Court order (2019): After CDA cancelled the lease in 2016, the SC revived it but raised BNP’s liability to Rs17.5 billion, payable over 8 years
– Paid so far: Only Rs2.9 billion — about 16.6% of the total
CDA told the Islamabad High Court that “full ownership was conditional upon 100% payment of the land cost” and BNP had defaulted for over two decades.
3. Why residents got caught in the middle
Hundreds of people bought apartments between 2010-2020. Their defense: CDA itself approved the building plan and issued a No-Objection Certificate, so sales looked legal. Residents argue the dispute is “between CDA and the developer” and should not punish flat owners.
But CDA’s position is that if the lease is void, all subsequent sales are void too.
4. The midnight eviction that triggered national attention
On April 30, 2026, IHC Chief Justice Sarfraz Dogar dismissed BNP’s petition against the lease cancellation.
Within hours, CDA and police arrived at One Constitution Avenue. Residents were told to vacate by midnight. “Police were banging on doors at 1am,” said Nadeem Haque, a tenant and former PIDE vice chancellor. Electricity was set to be cut by 6pm the next day.
The sudden operation sparked outrage because many families had no alternate housing and said they received no prior notice.
5. The security angle that complicated it
The timing raised eyebrows. On April 12, 2026, US Vice President JD Vance led US-Iran ceasefire talks at the adjacent Serena Hotel.
Journalist Talat Hussain reported that video footage from One Constitution Avenue during the talks showed “clear views of the adjacent Serena Hotel and even interior angles of foreign embassies”. He called it a “serious breach of diplomatic confidentiality” and a “tangible security risk”.
While CDA’s legal case rests on payment default, the security concerns added pressure for quick action.
6. Where it stands now
On May 2, PM Shehbaz Sharif intervened. He formed a high-level committee led by Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar to review the dispute and submit a report within one week.
Until the PM decides, CDA and Islamabad administration “will refrain from taking any action”. All affected residents can present their concerns to the committee.
The simple thing to understand: The One Constitution Avenue Scandal is a lease default case where public land was used for private luxury housing, the developer didn’t pay, the regulator issued approvals anyway, and buyers are now trapped between a 20-year legal fight and fresh security fears.
CDA halts anti-encroachment drive after PM stops One Constitution Avenue eviction
