Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Besides the passing of six months in power, the mayor-led administration in the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has failed to conclude its unfinished agendas, which were initiated by Shaikh Ansar Aziz at the time of assuming the office of the chairman CDA.

What it was called a surprise move in early September 2016, the Federal Government appointed the Mayor of Islamabad Shaikh Ansar Aziz as the Chairman Capital Development Authority (CDA), who was at loggerhead with the bureaucratic regime of the civic authority over devolution assets and liabilities at that time. It was no secret that the top management of the CDA was unwilling to handover the maximum powers to the newly established Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI) till the appointment of the Mayor as the Chairman CDA.

The previous administration was using workers body, which filed a writ petition in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) against the devolution process. It was perceived that the MCI would now become a fully empowered institute without any considerable hindrance, when the mayor used to sit in the office of the Chairman CDA and on the other he also took some bold steps i.e. handing over back the control of playgrounds and an announcement to bring a new policy at one of the notorious directorates in CDA’s land directorate.

But, now after six months, Ansar’s administration has completely failed as it has not even successful completed one of the aforementioned agendas. The action against illegal occupation of playgrounds on a massive scale followed by a complete silence on the subject reportedly because of a shut-up call by one of the family member of the Prime Minister badly damaged the mayor’s moral position however the recent decision in favour of the occupants of a playground by the IHC completely embarrassed the mayor in his agenda to give a free of cost facility of playgrounds to the youth of Islamabad.

While fixing the irregularities in the land directorate the mayor ordered to seal the land record, stop working, transferred all the staff and announced to bring a transparent policy to compensate land claims, but the promised policy is yet to be implemented. However the old staff members have once again been posted in the land directorate whereas the property mafia is once again ready to fly according to its old routine.

Last but not the least, the core agenda to make the MCI stand as an institution by ending all litigations due to the influence of the office of the Chairman CDA has made no progress. The MCI is working under an acting Chief Metropolitan Officer and not a single penny in the name of funds from the federal government. Even the CDA board turned down a proposal to earmark a plot for the construction of the MCI offices. If sitting in a lavish office, meeting delegations, receiving foreign dignitaries are the wholly and solely responsibilities of Mayor, then he is quite fit for the job as its current routine shows.

Mayor Shaikh Ansar Aziz is a blessing for the local government setup in Islamabad due to his strong connections in Prime Minister House, but he should use his relations for the building of an exemplary image of elected setup as it is first time when any politician is assigned the charge of Chairman CDA.