PM forms committee, halts action on One Constitution Avenue

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday set up a high-level committee to examine the dispute over One Constitution Avenue, directing authorities to hold off on any action until then.

According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, the panel will be led by Azam Nazeer Tarar and includes Talal Chaudhry, along with the cabinet and commerce secretaries. The committee has been asked to assess all dimensions of the issue and present its findings within one week.

During this period, all affected parties will be allowed to present their concerns, with the committee instructed to hear stakeholders impartially.

وزیرِ اعظم محمد شہباز شریف نے ون کانسٹیٹیوشن ایونیو کے معاملے پر اعلیٰ سطحی کمیٹی تشکیل دے دی۔

وزیرِ قانون و انصاف اعظم نذیر تارڑ کی سربراہی میں وزیرِ مملکت برائے داخلہ طلال چوہدری، سیکریٹری کابینہ اور سیکریٹری کامرس اس کمیٹی کے ارکان ہوں گے۔ اس دوران اس معاملے میں کوئی بھی… pic.twitter.com/3KeLXcU82Y

— Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) May 1, 2026

Meanwhile, the Islamabad administration and the Capital Development Authority have been told not to proceed with any measures until a final decision is made.

The move follows reports that officials from the CDA, accompanied by police, reached the site to assume control of the 22-storey building after its lease was revoked. Law enforcement had reportedly set a deadline for residents to vacate, with most occupants already leaving and a few remaining in certain apartments. Authorities also indicated that the power supply would be cut if the premises were not cleared.

A day earlier, the Islamabad High Court, headed by Chief Justice Sardar Sarfaraz Dogar, rejected a petition filed by a private developer challenging the lease cancellation. During proceedings, the CDA argued that the developer had failed to meet payment obligations for more than two decades, leading to the termination.

The building, initially approved as a five-star hotel, was later converted into residential units. The dispute dates back to a 2019 ruling by the Supreme Court of Pakistan, issued by former chief justice Mian Saqib Nisar and former justice Ijazul Ahsan, which had conditionally permitted the regularisation of the building.