notice served by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to the Sir Syed Memorial Society (SSMS) has landed the society in trouble.

A few days ago, CDA issued a final noticed to SSMS to close down the Centre for Advance Studies in Engineering (Case), which is being run on the premises of the society complex in G-5.

The Aligarh Old Boys Association in Islamabad formed the society in 1984 as a tribute to the education reformist.

CDA later allotted a 24 kanal plot at 19, Ataturk Avenue in G-5 to the society for the construction of an auditorium, library, reading room and museum.

But in 2000, the society rented out a portion of the building to Case, a commercial degree awarding institution affiliated with the University of Engineering and Technology (UET) in Taxila.

Until recently the society was also being run by a 15 member executive committee, which included seven individuals from Case and had retired Brig Iqbal M Shafi as its president.

However, infighting between some employees and the committee brought disrepute to the society, and attracted the attention of the city`s district administration.

The islamabad administration then asked the committee to clarify its position on several charges, and was not satisfied with the response. On April 4, the administration sealed some of the society`s offices, suspended the executive committee and appointed a caretaker body under the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) finance director to run the society`s affairs.

On April 21, CDA issued a final notice to the society which stated: `The plot was allotted for construction of Auditorium, Library, Reading Room and Museum, but at site, a university with the name and style of Case is established.

It added that the society was given a final opportunity to remove the nonconforming use within 15 days, or else CDA would seal the premises or cancel the allotment of the plot.

CDA Building Control Section director Shafi Marwat said the authority would act if nonconforming use did not end.

When contacted, ICT finance director Mohammad Ali said: `There were several irregularities; the society was not performing its functions in accordance with the provisions of the VSWA Act 1961.

`Out of 15 members of the executive committee, there were seven from Case, a tenant, while another private organisation known as CARE is also running there. As per the law, commercial activities can`t take place there, so on these grounds we suspended the executive committee.