The Capital Development Authority (CDA) is facing renewed criticism over a land dispute involving the Higher Education Commission (HEC), as land purchased for two public universities in Islamabad’s Kuri area has reportedly been included in a major housing project.
According to a Dawn report published on October 13, 2026, the HEC purchased 250 acres of land from the CDA in 2007 for more than Rs. 1 billion. The land was allocated for the proposed University of Engineering, Sciences and Technology and the National University of Law.
However, the situation changed after the CDA, in collaboration with the Defence Housing Authority (DHA), launched the Margalla Enclave housing project. Spanning approximately 18,000 kanals in Kuri, the development reportedly includes land originally allocated to the HEC.
The dispute intensified after the CDA reportedly offered the commission only 25 acres in Sector I-17 as an alternative. The proposed replacement represents just one-tenth of the land originally purchased for the two universities.
HEC officials have raised concerns that the smaller plot would not be sufficient for the planned educational institutions. The commission has called for possession of its original land or the provision of a suitable alternative.
The matter was expected to come up during a CDA board meeting held on Monday. However, sources indicated that the issue was not discussed and may be considered at a future meeting.
In 2025, the CDA board decided to relocate government educational institutions and university plots to Sector I-17, which was designated for institutional development. The HEC land dispute has also drawn the attention of the Auditor General of Pakistan and the Public Accounts Committee, which called for an early resolution in June 2026.
Meanwhile, the CDA board also discussed a separate land allocation issue involving the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE). The institute may be allotted a new 13-acre site in Sector H-16 following complications with its previous land allocation. However, a final decision on the matter has not been publicly confirmed.
The latest CDA land dispute has raised concerns over public land management, urban development priorities and the future of higher education infrastructure in Islamabad. Resolving the issue will be important to ensure that the proposed universities have adequate land to meet their educational and institutional needs.
