A Guide about legal & Illegal housing societies in Islamabad
Islamabad is a beautiful city with modern amenities that make it an ideal location for property investment. However, not all housing societies are legal. There are many illegal housing societies in Islamabad, and investing in them can be a high-risk industry. As an investor, you need to be able to identify between societies that are CDA (Capital Development Authority) approved and those that are not; this will help protect your funds and give you some peace of mind.
What makes a society legal and illegal according to CDA?
- Society does not include any essential public amenities like mosques, schools, hospitals, and parks.
- If no NOC application has been submitted from the society for a long time.
- Often sells plots without legal documentation
In all the scenarios above, and other complicated situations, CDA gives notice to the housing society to stop any development projects immediately. Those communities may offer cheaper prices or expect rapid development, but they often don’t even deliver basic services like electricity, water, sewage, and legal titles. The case scenario is that they have land that can be reclaimed or declared invalid by the government.
Risk of investing in Illegal housing societies in Islamabad
The Capital Development Authority (CDA) is the regulatory authority that is responsible for the approval and regulation of housing schemes in Islamabad. In Islamabad there are illegal housing societies that operate without NOCs (No Objection Certificate) and also violate housing laws, master plans and/or infrastructure requirements. If you invest in these schemes, the risks are:
- Financial Loss: The CDA has the authority to crack down on and even disassemble structures in illegal societies. If this happens, your investment could become worthless overnight, with little to no legal recourse to recover your funds.
- No Essential Services: Unapproved housing societies tend not to have primary service utilities such as electricity, gas and water. This means residents living in these schemes cannot receive essential services.
- Legal issues: These types of disputes can become prolonged and legally engage buyers with ownership rights; they can also find themselves being legally challenged by authorities.
- No Resale Value: Properties in illegal housing schemes cannot be properly registered and are almost impossible to sell, purely because there are so many restrictions on where a buyer could register their properties, significantly reducing the market value.
- No Amenities and Infrastructure: Lastly, promotion and advertising tend to be misleading regarding the provision of proper roads; only some have sewerage, not many have parks or schools, and not many provide the advertised facilities.
The CDA has been actively cracking down on these unauthorised developments, issuing public notices and taking action against non-compliant schemes.
Some prominent examples of societies currently listed as illegal by CDA include:
Islamabad Zone 1
It is thus a number of acres in Islamabad Zone 154,958.25 (222.4081 km2).
Some societies in Zone 1 are:
- Abdullah Town, H-17
- Ammar Town, H-17
- Chinnar Town, H-17
- Gulshan-e-Taleem, H-15
- Jhangio Sayedain Homes, H-15
- Peral Orchard, H-17
- Qamar Garden, H-15
- Sher Zaman Garden, H-17
- Shifa International Housing Society, H-17
- Talha Farms, H-17
- Tayyab Garden H-15
- Zammar Valley, H-17
- Ahmad Town, D-14
- Awan Town, D-14
- Capital Hills Residencia, D-14
- Green Valley Phase-II, E-15
- Green Valley, D-14
- Margalla View Valley, D-14
- Paradise Valley, D-14
- Shehzad Town, E-15
Islamabad Zone 2
Zone 2, being the smallest zone, measures almost 9,804.92 acres (39.6791 km2). It borders zone 1 and partially borders Rawalpindi.
Some of the illegal housing societies built in this area is;
- Green City, Sector D-17, E-17
- Gulshan-Rehman Sector C-17, D-17
- Islamabad Co-operative Farming Scheme, Sector D-17
- Jamal Akber Colony, Tarnol Phatak
- Pakistan Overseas Housing Scheme, Sector F-16
- Pakistan Town Phase-II G-16, F-16
- Taj Seventeen West, Luxury Apartments & Shops
Islamabad Zone 3
Islamabad zone 3 includes about 50,393.01 acres (203.9333 km2) of land.
Some of the illegal housing societies built in this area is:
- Al Rayan Society
- Ali Town
- Arcadia City
- Aryan Enclave, Korang Road, Banni Gala
- Green Hills
- Green Meadows (North Ridge) Housing Scheme
- Major Makhdom Society
Islamabad Zone 4
Islamabad’s zone 4 comprises an area of almost 282.5287 km2 of land, with the unfortunate aspect of this zone being that a maximum number of illegal housing societies are present. It is situated between the rural land Islamabad Park and unclaimed land between the Margalla Hills, Rawal Lake, and Lehtrar Road. Some of the Illegal housing societies in this zone:
- Abdullah Gardens (Kurri Road)
- Abu Bakr Town (Islamabad Expressway)
- Adil Farms (Simly Dam Road)
- Ghouri Town (all phases in Zone-4)
- Burma Town, Lehtrar Road
- Canterbury Enclave near Park Road
- Capital Gardens, Lehtrar Road
- City Town, Lehtrar Road
- City Views near Nilore Islamabad
- Doctor’s Enclave, Simly Dam Road
- Dream Land City, Lehtrar Road Thanda Pani
- Faisal Town, Islamabad Expressway
- Gakkhar Town, Lehtrar Road
- Ghouri Gardens, Lehtrar Road
- Ghouri Town (All Phases in Zone-4), Islamabad Expressway
- Government Officers Co-operative Farming Scheme
- Green Avenue, Park Road
Islamabad Zone 5
The total area covered by Islamabad Zone 5 is 157.9466 km2 (39,029.45 acres).
Illegal housing schemes in Zone 5 include:
- Aiza Garden (Kahuta Road)
- Askari Town (Japan Road)
- Ayesha Town (Navy Road, Rawat)
- and Gulshan-e-Rehman (Japan Road).
- National Police Foundation, PWD Road, Islamabad Highway
- Pak PWD, Islamabad Highway
- Parliamentarians Enclave, Japan Road
- Rasheed Town, Japan Road
- Rawat Enclave, Main Rawat Chowk
- Rawat Housing Scheme, GT Road, Rawat
- River View, Kahuta Road
- Sadozai Town, Kangota Sayedan
- Tele Town, Japan Road
- Television Media Town
A complete and up-to-date list of illegal housing schemes in Islamabad is usually available on the official CDA website. It is crucial to consult this list before making any investment.
The Assurance of CDA Approved Societies:
Each CDA-approved society has been vetted and approved by the CDA, meeting all legal and planning requirements. When you invest in a CDA-approved society, you can be assured of:
- Legal Protections: So your investment is legally protected, and your ownership of property can be registered safely.
- Assured Services and Facilities: These societies are required to provide essential services and complete the works set out in the development plan (which includes services and proper infrastructure, green spaces, community facilities, etc.)
- Resale Value: Properties that are situated in CDA-approved societies are hard to beat on resale value, allowing for property maintenance value and easier resale.
- Peace of Mind: You will be able to invest with confidence that your property is not at risk of destruction and that you are a legitimate property owner without any legal complications.
Best Housing Societies in Islamabad (CDA Approved)
Several excellent and reputable housing societies in Islamabad are CDA-approved and have good living standards and investment potential. The names of the Capital Development Authority-approved housing societies in Islamabad:
- Bahria Town Islamabad
- DHA Islamabad
- Park View City
- Gulberg Greens & Gulberg Residencia
- Multi Gardens B-17
- Naval Anchorage
- CBR Town
- Engineers Housing Scheme
- Paradise City
- Faisal Town (some phases)
- Capital Smart City (not directly approved by CDA but a quality project with its approvals, and often mentioned in lists of best societies adjacent to Islamabad).
Conclusion:
Investing in or selecting a place to live in Islamabad can be exciting, but it is also essential to be well thought out. Many people in Pakistan are faced with unbelievably tempting deals presented by illegal societies in Islamabad by the real estate adviser. Pick CDA-approved societies and enjoy the benefits of a legally established society with amenities and projects.
Find the CDA NOC list on the official CDA website, or ask for the approval papers from the society. This simple yet good research step can save your investment. Once you are with CDA-approved societies in Pakistan, you can securely grow your investment. When you do all the necessary checks before purchasing property in Islamabad, you will feel more secure about your purchased property in a CDA-approved society.
