The long-standing nexus between politics, bureaucracy, and wealth
DND Special Report
Islamabad, Pakistan: In a country where bulldozers often arrive first in low-income neighborhoods and legal notices later, the controversy surrounding the One Constitution Avenue project has reopened an old national wound: whether Pakistan’s laws apply equally to all citizens or only to those without power.
The controversy surrounding One Constitution Avenue has exposed what many Pakistanis already believe that the state often moves harshly against the weak and gently around the strong.
Whether Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s committee becomes an instrument of reform or another shield for privilege will determine whether this moment becomes accountability or just another chapter in Pakistan’s unfinished story of elite impunity.
The recent intervention by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to halt Capital Development Authority (CDA) enforcement action against the high-profile building has ignited intense public debate over alleged elite privilege, regulatory failure, and the long-standing nexus between politics, bureaucracy, and wealth.
While poor settlements in Bari Imam, Saidpur and other areas have faced repeated demolitions, a luxury high-rise linked to powerful figures suddenly received urgent attention at the highest level of government.
The contrast has become symbolic of a broader question: Is Pakistan governed by law, or by a protected superclass?
According to officials and media reports, the Prime Minister held an urgent meeting after CDA initiated action concerning the One Constitution project. Following the meeting:
- Eviction and enforcement action was halted
- A review committee was formed
- All anti-encroachment and land reclamation operations across Islamabad were reportedly paused temporarily
The decision came after widespread criticism on social media over what many described as selective enforcement. Nasla Tower Karachi is a prime case to determine that middle working class has no say in the law of land in Pakistan while powerful can twist whatever they wish in their favour. Nasla Tower was a 17-story residential-commercial building on Sharea Faisal, Karachi, that was demolished in 2021 by Supreme Court orders due to illegal construction on a service road. Following the demolition, courts ordered the auction of the plot to compensate affected residents. As of late 2025, auction attempts failed and the plot remains unsold. The Supreme Court ordered its demolition in 2021. It was declared illegal for occupying land designated for a service road in Sindhi Muslim Housing Society. In August 2025, a provincial anti-corruption court acquitted 27 individuals, including former SBCA officials, due to lack of evidence in the illegal allotment case. Although courts ordered compensation, residents have faced delays in receiving money. It is valid question that why slums and small settlements are swiftly targeted, while influential developers and elite property owners often appear beyond the reach of regulators.
What is One Constitution Avenue?
One Constitution Avenue is a luxury mixed-use development located on one of Islamabad’s most prestigious roads — Constitution Avenue — home to Parliament, the Supreme Court, embassies, and key state institutions.
The location alone makes the project one of the most valuable pieces of real estate in Pakistan.
But according to longstanding allegations, the land was originally leased under one purpose — and later converted into another far more profitable commercial model.
The Story Begins in 2005: OIC Summit and Prime Land
Sources familiar with the case say the controversy traces back to 2005, when Islamabad was preparing for the OIC summit and there was demand for international-standard hospitality infrastructure.
Two major plots were reportedly offered by CDA:
- Constitution Avenue Plot — designated for a five-star hotel
- Centaurus Site — later developed into Centaurus Mall
Critics allege that although Constitution Avenue was the more prime location, its lease price was significantly lower than the Centaurus site.
Alleged Pricing Disparity
Claims circulating publicly state:
- Constitution Avenue lease rate: Rs 75,000 per square yard
- Centaurus lease rate: Rs 190,000 per square yard
If accurate, this would raise serious questions:
- Why was the more strategic plot leased cheaper?
- Was public land undervalued?
- Who benefited from the pricing decision?
No official accountability report has fully clarified these discrepancies.
The Hotel That Became Apartments
One of the central allegations is that the plot was leased specifically for a five-star hotel, but later converted into a luxury apartment project.
That conversion changed the economics entirely.
A hotel requires long-term investment and operational risk. Luxury apartments generate immediate cash through pre-sales.
If the land was acquired at hotel rates and monetized as residential/commercial real estate, the gain could be enormous.
This is the heart of the controversy.
Alleged Regulatory Capture Inside CDA
Public claims further allege that individuals connected to the project later secured influence inside the CDA, facilitating changes in lease conditions. These allegations have not been conclusively established in court in the public domain, but they continue to fuel suspicion that Pakistan’s planning institutions can be manipulated by insiders.
If true, it would amount to a textbook case of regulatory capture where watchdog institutions serve private interests rather than public law.
Supreme Court Concerns and Payment Defaults
Reports tied to past litigation indicate that the project faced scrutiny over outstanding dues and lease compliance.
Some public commentary claims billions remained unpaid for years, despite continued commercialization and sales activity.
If a common citizen defaults on property taxes or utility bills, penalties are swift.
Yet critics ask:
- How can a mega-project continue sales amid unresolved liabilities?
- Why were penalties delayed?
- Why was cancellation not enforced sooner?
These questions remain central to the scandal.
Luxury Flats, Elite Buyers and Questions of Influence
The most politically explosive aspect of the controversy concerns claims that apartments were purchased or allocated at favorable rates to influential individuals.
Various names have circulated in public commentary and political discourse, including former officials, judges, politicians, and media personalities who had apartments in One Constitution. Big names include former deceased Gen Musharraf, Hafeez Pasha, Aitzaz Ahsan, former Chief Justice and caretaker Prime Minister Nasir-ul-Mulk, former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, former Chief Justice Saqib Nisar, a well-known journalist Absar Alam, Khawaja Saad Rafique, Mian Imran of Gujrat. This list is long and still not shared with media who benefited from this project.
However, the mere perception that state elites may have benefited from disputed public land transactions is enough to damage trust in institutions.
Two Systems of Justice?
The CDA’s simultaneous crackdown on poor settlements and hesitation on elite projects has intensified public anger.
In Islamabad’s Margins:
- Informal settlements demolished
- Vendors displaced
- Low-income families evicted
In Elite Zones:
- Negotiations
- Committees
- Legal stays
- Prime Ministerial intervention
This perceived double standard has become the true political scandal.
Governments Across Time: Protection Regardless of Party?
Critics argue the project survived because Pakistan’s ruling class transcends party lines.
Civilian governments change. Prime ministers come and go. But the same networks of:
- bureaucratic influence
- judicial access
- political connections
- media relationships
- business capital
continue to protect each other.
This phenomenon is often described by analysts as Pakistan’s “deep elite consensus.”
Under this model, partisan battles happen publicly, but elite interests remain untouched privately.
Why This Matters Beyond One Constitution
The One Constitution case is not just about a tower.
It represents three structural crises:
1. Public Land as Private Wealth
When prime state land is allegedly converted into private fortunes, citizens lose national assets.
2. Selective Rule of Law
When poor citizens face demolitions but elite violators receive relief, trust collapses.
3. Institutional Credibility
If regulators cannot act independently, governance becomes performance rather than reality.
The Committee Route: Accountability or Delay?
The Prime Minister has now formed a committee to review the matter.
Pakistanis have seen many committees before.
Often they produce:
- delayed reports
- diluted findings
- quiet settlements
- no prosecutions
The public now asks whether this committee will expose facts or bury them.
What Transparency Would Look Like
If authorities are serious, experts say the following should be made public:
1. Original Lease Agreement
Was the plot strictly for hotel use?
2. Subsequent Amendments
Who approved conversion to apartments?
3. Payment History
How much was paid, outstanding, waived, or rescheduled?
4. Beneficial Ownership Records
Who owns each apartment?
5. Tax Declarations
Were these assets declared to FBR?
6. Role of Public Officials
Did any serving officials receive units or favors?
Without such disclosure, suspicion will deepen.
Pakistan’s Real Test
The One Constitution scandal is not about concrete, steel or architecture.
It is about whether Pakistan can confront a system where the powerless are punished and the connected are rescued.
If an illegal room in a katchi abadi can be demolished overnight, then a disputed luxury tower on Constitution Avenue must face the same law.
Otherwise, the message is clear:
There is one Constitution for the poor.
And another for the powerful.
