One Constitution Avenue building: Govt has obtained legal possession: Naqvi

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Wednesday said that the government has obtained legal possession of the One Constitution Avenue building and it will be converted into a five-star hotel in the next few months.

Addressing a press conference, the Interior Minister said the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) report, which uncovered serious irregularities, manipulation, and fraud in the One Constitution Avenue project, has been presented to the federal cabinet. The concerned authority has taken control of the building, and the Capital Development Authority (CDA) member administration will oversee the affairs of the building from today.

Naqvi praised the efforts of CDA officials in handling the matter. He also thanked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for providing full support in the matter. “The building would be converted into a five-star hotel in the next few months, and an agreement would be made with an international chain in this regard,” he said, adding the affected people would be compensated.

The Interior Minister said there would be no double standards and the law would apply equally to everyone. “There would be the same standard for poor and wealthy people,” he said, adding the authorities have faced huge pressure from different quarters while carrying out the anti-encroachment operation.

Naqvi said that an unusual situation arose when the CDA attempted to take possession of the building, as though the government had done something wrong.

He said “those who have encroached upon even an inch of state land vacate it; otherwise, action would be taken against them. No government or private institution, or any individual, would be permitted to illegally occupy government land,” he said, adding the government land has been reclaimed by the attached department of the Ministry of Interior. He said that a camp office of the Federal Constabulary (FC) set up on the green belt had been demolished a few months ago.

He said “complete elimination of encroachments from the federal capital is our target. The government is committed to transforming the capital into a beautiful, green, and encroachment-free city.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026