ISLAMABAD: A fact finding committee comprising Grade-18 officers to identify and fix the responsibility on the officers of the CDA involved in the Grand Hayat scam is looking ineffective and toothless as the involved elements are of high profile and influential due to their previous or incumbent dominant positions. In pursuance of direction issued by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), the Capital Development Authority had constituted a three-member committee in October, 2016 to probe the matter related to the non-recovery of payment against the plot of Grand Hayat Hotel in 15 days. The committee comprising three Capital Development Authority officers of Grade-18 including the Director Security Faheem Badshah, the Deputy Director Finance Tahir Hameed and the Deputy Director Planning Toqueer Nawaz. As per the notification, the term of references (TORs) of this committee are: to identify the factors regarding non-recovery, identify the irregularities committed by the Capital Development Authority officers and formations and fix and appropriate the extent of responsibility, The question here is that why the Capital Development Authority had constituted such a weak committee to probe a high level scam if it is serious in fixation of liability. It is pertinent to mention here that nobody less then Grade-19 was even in touch with the things at that time, almost 10 years back in 2005 and most of them are now retired with full ranks or sitting on top slots. An officer attached with the development commented: “The whole episode was played by the Project Management Office (PMO) Directorate and the Capital Development Authority board.” As for instance, ex-Chairman Capital Development Authority Kamran Lashari, Syed Thair Shahbaz, Ex Board Members Brigadier Asad, Brigadier Bokhari, Brigadier Nusartullah, Azher Ali Choudhary, Munir Chaudhry, Shaista Sohail, Mustafain Kazmi, Sanaullah Aman and former Directors PMO Directorate Dr Faisal Awan, Humayun Toru were the officer directly dealing with the things while former Directors Estate Management Directorate Habibur-Rehman Gillani and Chaudhry Aslam were used just to sign the allotment letters and lease agreements. The constitution of the committee on junior officers to fix the responsibility on big guns is apparently a move to delay the process and to avoid implementation of the PAC’s direction in light and spirit. An officer of the Authority on the condition of anonymity commented: “This is a big scam and officers of the 18th Grade cannot proceed forward and there will be no output of this committee at the end of the day.” However, when questioned incumbent Member Administration of the civic body, Yasir Peerzada, he replied: “The committee was constituted before assuming my charge in the Capital Development Authority and it is a preliminary probe not a formal inquiry.” When countered that is it a rational composition that a Grade-18 officer will fix the responsibly on Grade-21 officers, he advised to wait till the final recommendations of the said committee and suggested: “If this committee will fail to work than another can also be constituted.” The said multi-billion scam is a worse example of damaging public exchequer for personal gains as the Capital Development Authority had made drastic changes in terms and conditions to benefit a tainted party frequently on several times. An officer of the authority briefed Daily Times that said committee was just an eyewash as most of the officers involved in this scam were on deputation in the Capital Development Authority and these low ranked inquiry officers cannot even dare to call them due to their influential positions. He questioned rhetorically: “How a deputy director can call a secretary level officer or in case when he had also work as a subordinate in the past?” It is the duty of incumbent set-up to revisit its decision and should constitute another committee at least in the chair of a board member level officer to fulfil the merits of justice and transparency.