Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: A plot measuring 4700 square yards has been allocated for the official residence of the Mayor of Islamabad while disagreement among the CDA board members on the town hall’s plot has delayed its allocation.

The second meeting of the board of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) for the year 2017 was held at its headquarters on Friday to discuss an eleven point agenda, but only eight could be discussed due to the shortage of time. A plot measuring 4700 square yards has been approved to earmark the official residence of the Mayor of Islamabad in Sector F-5/2. The said plot is situated next to the house of the Speaker, National Assembly and a plot designated for the house of the Chairman, Senate of Pakistan.

“The allocation of the plot by the CDA board does not mean that the plot has been allotted, but it is the first step towards the building of a house for the father of the city whereas several milestones have yet to be achieved in this regard,” an officer of the authority commented. He briefed that now a formal approval of the Prime Minister of Pakistan would be needed for the proper allotment of the said plot and a summary in this regard would be moved through the Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control.

Although, the CDA board has given its affirmative decision in the case of the plot for the Mayor’s residence, but at the same time some of the board members strongly objected on the allocation of two thirds portion of a plot to the Metropolitan Corporation of Islamabad (MCI).

A plot measuring 7.5 acres designated for the construction of the CDA offices was already available near |Zero Point interchange, between the T&T Park and the head office of Pakistan Post. The planning wing of the CDA has proposed that the two third portions of this plot will be handed over to the MCI for the construction of the town hall while one third portion of the same plot will remain in the ownership of the CDA.

The Member Planning and Design, Asad Mehboob Kiani, while defending the summary in the board meeting argued that the plot was being divided on the basis of a formula already in place, which was followed during the division of assets and liabilities between the CDA and the MCI. But, his argument was countered by other board members, who were of the view that though two third employees went under the control of the MCI, but a major portion of these employees comprised the field staff and there was no need of such a huge space for the construction of offices.

However, after the deliberations, it was principally approved that the MCI would get its share for the construction of a town hall from the same piece of land, but the matter was deferred for further working and clarity on the division formula.

Allocation of plot for CPNE: Meanwhile, the allocation of a plot measuring 1100 square yards has also been approved for the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) at Mauve Area near Zero Point. The plot would be given to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, which would then further hand it over to the apex body of the editors.