Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Ad-hocism is the order of the day at the Capital Development Authority (CDA). Three out of the total five CDA Board members are on deputation. A large number of other deputationists also hold key posts.

The board members who are on deputation are: CDA Administration Member Muhammad Yasir Pirzada, a grade-19 officer from the Inland Revenue Service; Finance Member Dr Fahad Aziz, a grade-19 officer from the Pakistan Audit and Accounts Service; and Estate Member Khushal Khan, a grade-19 officer originally from the Pakistan Administrative Service.

Officers from various government departments are working in the CDA on deputation. Many of them are working on higher posts than their original grades. Some have even occupied technical positions without having any relevant expertise.

For instance, Muhammad Yasir Pirzada, who is from the Inland Revenue Service, is working as the CDA Administration member.

Irfanullah Marwat, an officer of the Foreign Service, is working as the Land director. An Information Department officer, Rana Farhan, is working in the Land Directorate as deputy director.

Another officer, Ali Sufyan, is from the Commerce and Trade Group. He now holds the charge of the Municipal Administration director even though he has no expertise in dealing with such matters.

Other notable officers enjoying perks and privileges on deputation in the CDA are: Revenue Director Abbas Mir, a grade-19 officer of the Inland Revenue Service; Deputy Financial Advisor Raza Shah, a grade-19 officer of the Audit and Accounts Service and CDA Secretary Board Asif Shah Jahan, a grade-19 officer of the Lok Virsa Museum; Human Resource Directorate Director Saba Asim, a grade-18 officer of the Pakistan Administrative Service; Estate Management Director Nisha Ishtiaq, a grade-18 officer of the Pakistan Administrative Service; Director Public Relations Mazhar Hussain, a grade-18 officer of Information Group; Director Land Irfanullah Marwat, a grade-18 officer of the Foreign Service; Director Municipal Administration Ali Sufyan, a grade-18 officer of Commerce and Trade Service; and Land Deputy Director Rana Farhan, a grade-17 officer of the Information Group.

On the other hand, CDA Deputy Commissioner Qazi Ahmad Sohaib is a grade 17 officer of the Provincial Management Service (PMS). Land Survey Deputy Director Sahibzada Iqhlaq Ahmed and MPO Deputy Director and CDA Senior Special Magistrate Imran Zia are grade-17 employees of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government.

When contacted, former CDA Board member Syed Mustafian Kazmi informed Daily Times that the practice to induct deputationists in CDA had been initiated by former chairman Kamran Lashari.

“A powerful elite has created two types of officers in the country. CDA employees are rarely posted on key administrative posts even when they are eligible. These posts are instead filled with officers handpicked from various government departments,” he said.

“Why do you think these deputationists only serve on key posts? Why are they reluctant to serve on low-profile posts such as the coordination director or the sanitation director? That is because they (deputationists) always choose a post that brings in a lot of money,” he said.

When contacted by Daily Times, Mayor Shaikh Ansar Aziz, who holds the acting charge of the CDA chairman, said: “I have tried to reshuffle them to end the monopoly of officers on deputation, but we are forced to continue with them because of a shortage of officers.”

Published in Daily Times, October 17^th 2017.