The leadership of the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) has summoned a major convention of the entire business community of Islamabad on Monday, December 8, 2025. The purpose of the convention is to take a unanimous decision on whether to participate in the forthcoming Capital Development Authority (CDA) auction of residential and commercial plots scheduled from December 22 to 24, 2025.

The convention is set to draw extensive participation from all sectors of trade and industry, including the real estate community, as stakeholders will collectively decide whether to boycott the CDA auction in light of the Authority’s persistent anti-business measures that have severely discouraged investment and shaken business confidence.

While talking to various visiting delegations of traders and industrialists on Thursday, ICCI President Sardar Tahir Mehmood, accompanied by Senior Vice President Tahir Ayub and Vice President Irfan Chaudhry, strongly criticized CDA’s conduct. He said that over the passage of time it has become evident that the Authority is least interested in fostering a business-friendly environment in the capital. Instead, he noted, CDA has repeatedly resorted to hostile actions such as sealing industries and commercial establishments in what he described as “inhuman, unethical, and illegal manners,” even disrespecting female staff by forcibly ejecting them from workplaces.

President Tahir Mehmood added that irrational transfer fees, exorbitant FAR charges, change of trade, and the imposition of heavy property taxes have collectively created an unbearable burden on both businesses and residents. Simultaneously, CDA has failed to provide basic civic services—including clean drinking water, proper sewage management, sufficient parking, and improved market infrastructure, while continuing to impose unjustified financial penalties.

He said the business community now believes that CDA’s actions are driven solely by revenue motives rather than service delivery, and therefore a decisive response is needed. One such step under consideration is the collective boycott of the upcoming CDA auction.

The ICCI leadership has appealed to Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi to intervene and rescue the business community from CDA’s oppressive policies for the sake of economic stability and the country’s future.

The Chamber reaffirmed that the convention on December 8 will serve as a critical platform to finalize a united course of action against the ongoing injustices faced by the business sector in Islamabad.