DHA, Islamabad, Phase-VII housing project: Affectees urge COAS to help resolve protracted ‘crisis’
ISLAMABAD: After nearly two decades of broken timelines, mounting costs, and silence from authorities, thousands of aggrieved overseas and local Pakistanis have turned to Chief of Defence Forces and COAS Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, seeking his direct intervention to resolve the prolonged DHA, Islamabad, Phase 7 housing project crisis.
In a formal application addressed to the COAS, the affectees warned that nearly two decades of delays, broken timelines, and lack of development have pushed families to the brink—undermining public trust and risking the confidence of overseas Pakistanis who send over USD 34.5 billion in annual remittances.
According to the letter, despite paying full dues, SDC charges and escalation costs (many have done in US dollars) members have been left without possession, without development, and without even basic infrastructure. The project, launched in 2008 with promises of possession by 2013, remains “unfinished, undeveloped, and without clarity,” the application said.
The victims argued that thousands of families had planned their home construction based on DHA’s commitments, but continuous delays and silence from the administration have shattered those hopes. Construction costs have multiplied five times over the years, making home ownership nearly impossible for many who invested their life savings.
The application said repeated requests for meetings with DHA Islamabad officials have gone unanswered, deepening frustration and helplessness among members. Overseas Pakistanis, it warns, are losing confidence in Pakistan’s institutions at a time when the national economy heavily relies on foreign remittances.
The applicants urged the COAS to issue immediate directions to:
Expedite full development of Phase 7 without delay.
Announce a binding timeline for handing over possession.
Implement accountability measures for the 18-year delay.
Ensure transparent, regular communication with all members.
The signatories stressed that DHA Islamabad operates under serving and retired military oversight, making the COAS’s intervention both critical and decisive. “Only your authoritative direction can ensure the commitments made in 2008 are honoured,” the appeal states.
Fazle Malik Khan, representing thousands of victims, said the members are simply seeking concrete action. He also requested the COAS to approve a 90-day plan to remove bottlenecks so families can finally begin home construction.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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