One Constitution Avenue building to be converted into five-star hotel, says Mohsin Naqvi

ISLAMABAD: Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has said the government has regained possession of One Constitution Avenue building following the recommendations of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT), adding that efforts are underway to convert the building into a five-star hotel.

Speaking to the media, Mohsin Naqvi said the government had been waiting for the JIT report for a long time and thanked Allah that its recommendations had been approved.

He said when the government took action to regain possession of the building, some people created an impression that a major wrongdoing had been committed.

“We had made it clear that we would not back down from our position, whatever happened,” he said.

The interior minister said the government would take action against encroachments in Islamabad, whether on government buildings or green belts.

He said the extent of land grabbing in Islamabad was difficult to imagine, adding that the CDA chairman had informed him that several residents had extended their lawns beyond their property boundaries.

Naqvi urged residents of F-6, F-10 and other sectors to keep their houses within their designated boundaries.

Mohsin Naqvi said the government would try to convert the Constitution Avenue building into a five-star hotel within the next few months.

He said the building had originally been constructed for use as a five-star hotel, adding that Islamabad was facing a serious shortage of hotels.

“We will try to reach an agreement with a major hotel chain to convert the building into a hotel,” he said.

The minister clarified that the government would not operate the hotel itself but would enter into an agreement with a hotel chain.

He said CDA officials would start looking after the building’s affairs from today and efforts would be made to make it operational as a hotel as soon as possible.

Naqvi said the government would compensate people who had suffered losses in connection with the building’s takeover. He added that the JIT report contained complete details of how compensation would be provided.

He said people with legitimate apartment ownership would also be compensated, adding that no one was being given any special concession.

The interior minister said the government would recover all state-owned land, regardless of who had occupied it.

“If it is government land, we will recover it at all costs,” he said.

Naqvi said around 1,000 acres of land behind the Prime Minister’s House had also been recovered. He added that the land was intended for a safari park.

He said the government would clear all encroachments in Islamabad and reiterated his commitment to fulfilling the promise.

The minister said there was no room for separate standards for the rich and the poor.

He also credited the CDA chairman and his team for carrying out the operation, saying officials faced considerable pressure during such actions.

The interior minister said parking problems had been resolved in several areas of Islamabad, while issues remained in some locations.

He said the CDA chairman was working to address the remaining parking problems.

Naqvi also pointed out a shortage of strict officers in the CDA, saying the authority needed more officers who could enforce regulations effectively.