Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Islamabad Mayor Shaikh Ansar Aziz on Thursday dissolved six oversight committees over complaints of malpractice and corruption.

The committees de-notified are: the Water Management Committee, Kiosks Committee, the Melody Food Street Committee, the Anti-Encroachment Committee, the Street Lights Committee and the Honoraria and Allowance Committee.

These committees were headed by elected members of the Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI). They oversaw the working of relevant formations in the MCI and the Capital Development Authority (CDA) for effective service delivery.

The committees were headed by Deputy Mayor MCI Azam Khan, Chaudhry Rifat Javed, UC Chairmen Sardar Mehtab, Raja Waheed, MCI members Sajid Abbasi and Adil Aziz Qazi. A number of other elected representatives were also part of the committees.

Sources inside the MCI told Daily Times that some committee members were involved in corrupt practices. “The mayor was already aware of the state of affairs. Now some citizens also approached him and requested him to take action. The committees were formed to enhance the productivity and speed of work. However, unfortunately the committee heads and members had become a mafia,” a CDA officer said.

“Committee heads were using their position to put pressure on the rest of the CDA employees for their own agendas, instead of paying attention to resolving public issues,” he said.

When contacted by Daily Times, Shaikh Ansar Aziz said: “I have de-notified the committees after they completed the assigned tasks. They had become dysfunctional.”

The Water Management Committee had been given the task to improve the water supply situation by reducing water theft and by fixing faulty pipelines. The Kiosks Committee had been mandated to streamline issues pertaining to kiosks and to submit its recommendations for resolution of their problems.

The Anti Encroachment Committee and Street Lights Committee had been formed after the PM’s office expressed displeasure over the growing encroachments in the city and dysfunctional street lights. The committees had been tasked to monitor anti-encroachment operations and install new street lights.

The Honoraria and Allowance Committee had been constituted to prepare recommendations for paying honorarium to MCI members equal to the salaries being paid in other cities.

The Food Street Committee was notified to develop the available structure in the food street and to make it an attractive place for family gatherings.

Most of the committees failed to accomplish even a single task assigned to them.

Official sources said that the decision to disband the committees was a result of the rift within party ranks. “Some MCI members have openly criticised way the mayor is handling official affairs,” they said.

Talking to Daily Times, Deputy Mayor Azam Khan said: “I am unaware of the development. So I cannot comment on it at this stage.”

Published in Daily Times, July 14^th , 2017.