Voice of America to face charges for violating Islamabad building regulations

ISLAMABAD: In a shocking revelation, the Voice of America (VOA) a prestigious international media network is charged with violating the Capital Territory Building Control Regulations in Islamabad.

Allegedly, VOA previously used an all-residential estate for its journalistic purposes, which are explicitly banned under federal regulations.

Such blatant violations raise immense security concerns and create disturbances in the community. Upon realizing the severity of the case, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) issued Hearings/Notices for these violations to VOA.

According to the notification issued by CDA, house number 01 under the name of Shamim Ghulam in the area G-6/3 Islamabad was used by VOA as a media house, which violates the law of the Capital Territory.

According to the laws governing building usage, the owner and occupier of such a building which was not in compliance with the law and was used for commerce could consequently be fined for that.

On first conviction, it can be between Rs. 500,000 and 1,500,000, depending on the location of the building and its usage. The specific amounts of the fines imposed were Rs. 500,000 for Residential Class-III category buildings, Rs. 750,000 for Shopping Centres and I&T Centres, Rs. 1,000,000 for F&V, Industrial buildings and Blue Area buildings, and Rs. 1,500,000 for Mauve area, H-Series and other types of buildings, which included Marakiz.

The actions of VOA are truly startling because it has developed an international image for being a supporter of the rule of law. The one organization that speaks of being ethical and idealist walks the path of corruption in terms of the law in Pakistan.

CDA now has the power to strictly stop the operations of VOA and penalize it in line with the 2020 regulations. It will be interesting to see whether VOA takes any corrective measures to remedy the situation or has to face the music of its own actions.

In a city where the rule of law is already under severe strain, the actions of the VOA serve as an alarming reminder that even international institutions can fly away with the law by sheer manipulation. Now it’s  CDA’s job to take further, prompt action if VOA fails to comply.