Islamabad, August 24, 2026: A delegation of the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), led by President Sardar Tahir Mehmood, met Capital Development Authority (CDA) Chairman and Chief Commissioner Islamabad Lt. (Retd.) Sohail Ashraf on Monday and discussed a range of long-standing issues affecting the business community, particularly construction, real estate, investment and ease of doing business in the federal capital.
During the meeting, the CDA chairman assured the ICCI delegation that the issue of Floor Area Ratio (FAR) charges would be placed before the CDA Board in its meeting scheduled for Tuesday, with a view to providing maximum possible relief to the business community.
He said the concerns raised by the ICCI would be considered on a priority basis and appropriate decisions would be taken to facilitate investors, builders and property owners.
A major issue discussed during the meeting was the requirement for parking space. The CDA chairman agreed in principle to increase the permissible parking area from 750 square feet to 1,000 square feet.
He clarified that the revised provision had already been approved but had not been given retrospective effect to plots allotted earlier. The matter would also be placed before the CDA Board for consideration so that eligible projects whose drawings are submitted under the applicable regulations could benefit from the revised provision.
The meeting also made progress on the issue of inheritance transfers. The CDA chairman assured the delegation that the existing 0.25 percent fee calculated on the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) value of property for legal inheritance transfers within families would be abolished, subject to approval by the CDA Board.
The proposed move would provide relief to families and property owners and simplify the process of transferring inherited properties to legal heirs, particularly children.
Similarly, the CDA chairman agreed to consider abolishing the 0.25 percent fee on General Power of Attorney (GPA) transactions between blood relatives. The proposal is aimed at reducing the financial burden on families and simplifying property-related procedures.
The chairman assured the delegation that formal approval for the proposed measures would be sought from the CDA Board at its meeting on Tuesday.
President ICCI Sardar Tahir Mehmood appreciated the positive response from the CDA chairman and said the business community expected practical reforms aimed at reducing the cost of doing business, removing unnecessary regulatory hurdles and encouraging investment in Islamabad.
He said an efficient and business-friendly regulatory framework was essential for promoting construction activity, real estate investment, commercial development and employment generation.
Sardar Tahir Mehmood said the private sector was ready to play its role in strengthening the economy, but government institutions needed to ensure predictable policies, simplified procedures and reasonable charges.
He stressed that resolving CDA-related issues would not only facilitate businesses but also accelerate economic activity and ultimately increase government revenues.
The CDA chairman further assured the ICCI delegation that it would be welcomed again on Tuesday, under the leadership of President Sardar Tahir Mehmood, to discuss the outcome of the CDA Board meeting and pursue implementation of the proposed relief measures.
The ICCI delegation included Mohammad Israr Mishwani, Chairman of the ICCI Standing Committee on Real Estate, along with other senior members.
