The Capital Development Authority (CDA) is facing scrutiny over a land dispute involving the Higher Education Commission (HEC), as land originally purchased for two public universities in Islamabad's Kuri area has reportedly been incorporated into a major housing development. The situation has raised concerns about the future of the proposed educational institutions and the use of land allocated for public-sector development.
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 Rs1 billion. The land was designated for the establishment of the University of Engineering, Sciences and Technology and the National University of Law in Islamabad.
The dispute emerged after the CDA, in collaboration with the Defence Housing Authority (DHA), launched the Margalla Enclave housing scheme. Covering approximately 18,000 kanals in Kuri, the development reportedly includes land previously allocated to the HEC for its university projects.
The matter has intensified following reports that the CDA offered the HEC only 25 acres of replacement land in Sector I-17. This represents just 10% of the original 250-acre allocation, prompting concerns about whether the proposed alternative would be sufficient for the planned universities.
HEC officials have reportedly objected to the offer, maintaining that the limited replacement land would not adequately accommodate the institutions. The commission has called for possession of its original land or an appropriate alternative that meets the universities' requirements.
The issue was expected to be discussed at a CDA board meeting held on Monday. However, according to sources cited in the report, the matter was not taken up and may be considered at a subsequent meeting.
In 2025, the CDA board decided to relocate government educational institutions and university plots to Sector I-17, an area designated for institutional development. The HEC land dispute in Islamabad has also drawn attention from the Auditor General of Pakistan and the Public Accounts Committee, which called for an early resolution in June 2026.
Separately, the CDA board reportedly discussed a land allocation issue involving the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE). The institute may receive a new 13-acre plot in Sector H-16 following complications with its previous allocation, although a final decision was not publicly confirmed.
The dispute highlights the challenges of balancing housing development with the need to preserve land designated for public education. A resolution will be important for determining the future of the two proposed universities and ensuring that land purchased for educational purposes is appropriately utilised.
