News
CDA Reports Rs1.3 Trillion Land Recovery in Islamabad, Including 600 Acres Near PM House
By Mariam Khan
Real Estate Analyst
3 min read
The Capital Development Authority (CDA) says its anti-encroachment campaign has recovered government land valued at approximately Rs1.3 trillion. The authority released the updated figures on October 29, 2026. The value is the authority's own estimate. The reports we have seen do not say how it was calculated, over what period the recoveries took place or whether it counts land that was only cleared and not formally taken back. The E-12, C-17 and Malpur operations listed below were reported separately before, and the authority's summary now includes them. They are not new operations.
What the Authority Lists
The October 29 disclosure includes about 600 acres recovered near the Prime Minister's House. It lists 1,135 kanals in Sector E-12 and 116.8 kanals cleared of illegal commercial structures in Sector C-17. It also lists five commercial plazas vacated along Murree Road in Malpur, and recovery efforts continuing on another 108 kanals in the Malpur area. The 600 acres is about 4,800 kanals (our own calculation, at eight kanals to an acre), which is far larger than the other listed areas. The reports do not say what condition the land near the Prime Minister's House was in or what will be done with it.
Figures That May Differ From Earlier Reports
The E-12 figure is given here as 1,135 kanals. Earlier reports of the E-12 recovery gave slightly different totals as the operation went on, so the figure may have been updated. The reports do not explain the difference. We give the figure as the authority states it today.
What Is Not Known
The reports do not say how much of the Rs1.3 trillion belongs to each item on the list, who occupied the land or whether any of the cleared areas are subject to court orders. We therefore do not break the total down. Federal oversight of the CDA rests with the Ministry of Interior.
Why This Matters for Property
Recovered land could support infrastructure and development in areas that were obstructed. Removing encroachments may improve prospects for existing allottees, particularly in delayed residential sectors. The campaign also highlights enforcement risks for unauthorised buildings on government land. The reported recovery does not establish new possession dates, completed infrastructure or changes in prices.
What This Means for Allottees, Owners and Buyers
Allottees in the sectors named should wait for CDA notices on possession and development. Buyers should check that any plot or building is on land with a clear title and approvals. The signals to watch are the formal handover of cleared land, the development plan for each area, any court challenge and the next update of the recovery figures.