Islamabad (Digital Post): Advertisement mafia, DMA nexus uncovered – 200 hoarding boards, 80 bus shelters manipulated, millions at stake –who’s Involved?

Sources reveal MCI/Union Councils mafia collecting bribes instead of taxes using misleading stay orders

DMA, BCS allegedly pocketing millions monthly from illegal use of open spaces rooftops

Allegations surface: ‘Did you permit illegal expansion of G-10 market for Rs. 300,000 per stall?’ Deputy Director DMA questioned on lavish purchases

ISLAMABAD (Special Representative): An organized mafia has emerged within the Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI) and the Directorate of Municipal Administration (DMA), where officials have retained influential positions for extended periods, bypassing rotation policies.

This network reportedly collects millions of rupees each month from unauthorized bus shelters and illegal SMD screens in areas such as 26, IJP Road, Taramari Chowk, Khanna Pul, and City Circle, raising serious concerns over transparency and misuse of public spaces.

Sources reveal that despite Supreme Court orders declaring large hoardings on government building rooftops illegal to safeguard public safety, the MCI has failed to act. It reportedly deemed nearly 200 hoardings illegal and stopped collecting fees and taxes on them. However, rather than removing these dangerous structures from major highways, officials are allegedly allowing unauthorized advertising in exchange for bribes, compromising both safety and transparency.

In City Circle, sources report that authorities are allegedly collecting hundreds of thousands of rupees monthly from 80 bus shelters, built outside the public transport route under the guise of public welfar, purely for advertising campaigns. Using outdated non-stay orders to mislead the courts, officials bypass taxes to allow these unauthorized advertisements. Insiders also claim that certain long-serving secretaries in specific union councils are receiving bribes totaling millions of rupees monthly from MCI and DMA-linked mafia groups profiting from illegal hoardings, bus shelters, and SMD screens. Due to a deliberate delay in implementing an open space policy, no public spaces have been allocated citywide for over a year, allowing illegal encroachments to flourish and fueling corruption at an immense public cost.

Sources indicate that citizen requests for open space are being deliberately delayed and prioritized based on favoritism, with heavy bribes influencing the process. Additionally, the lack of a formal policy on rooftop business activities in major commercial centers has allowed unchecked, illegal operations to flourish. Inspectors from the DMA and the BCS are reportedly collecting monthly bribes amounting to millions of rupees from these rooftop businesses. Illegal commercial activities are rampant on rooftops in sectors F-6, F-7, F-10, F-11, I-8, and others, raising serious concerns over regulatory lapses and corruption that compromise both urban management and public welfare.

In a troubling development, sources report that stalls in the weekly budget bazaar, situated directly in front of the offices of the Chief Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner of Islamabad, are allegedly being allotted illegally through substantial bribes. When questioned by a Daily Digital Post correspondent, the Deputy Director of the DMA allegedly admitted to authorizing this unlawful expansion for a bribe of Rs. 300,000 per stall. Shockingly, he even gestured toward a nearby car, stating that he purchased it with the bribe money. This incident highlights deep-rooted corruption that undermines public trust and accountability in city administration.

Sources report that the Director DMA has directed the implementation of orders from Islamabad Mayor Sheikh Anser Aziz regarding the unauthorized expansion of the weekly budget bazaar in 2019, allowing the construction of illegal stalls. This action follows a Digital Post exposé on the scandal. Additionally, in response to alleged involvement in the expansion, the Deputy Director DMA has formed an inquiry committee, chaired by a Assistant Director who is under his supervision, to investigate the matter.

The Assistant Director informed Digital Post that he recently visited the market and will prepare a detailed report soon. He emphasized that, regardless of any delayed implementation, the expansion remains illegal. Proper authorization, including a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Capital Development Authority’s (CDA) Planning, Engineering, and Environment Wings, was required prior to any expansion. Additionally, the Islamabad High Court has ruled that commercial activities on green belts are unlawful, further underscoring the illegality of the market’s recent expansion.

Sources indicate that enforcement and environment inspectors from the CDA failed to report the illegal construction of stalls on the green belt. Allegations have surfaced that the Director DMA is shielding those responsible by conducting a superficial inquiry.

Given the gravity of this issue, there is a strong call for an independent, transparent investigation led by a committee comprising officials from the federal district administration, CDA’s environment, enforcement, and encroachment divisions, as well as MCI. Such a committee would be essential to identifying the true perpetrators and holding them accountable, ensuring both public trust and adherence to environmental regulations.