Daily Times

Senate standing committee on Interior gives one week time to both Capital Development Authority (CDA) & Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI) to resolve their administrative, financial and legal issues and submit a report to the committee.

The meeting was presided over by Senator Rehman Malik, Senator Atiq Sheikh, Senator Javid Abbasi, Chairman CDA Aamir Ali Ahmad and Mayor Islamabad Sheikh Ansr Aziz at Committee room No 4 parliament house Islamabad.

The chair stressed upon the heads of autonomous bodies to resolve their frictional administrative issues promptly in the best interest of the city.

CDA official told committee that after the devolution, 11,500 employees have been handed over to MCI and 5,528 partially transferred. He added that 21 directorates have been transferred to MCI as well; both bodies have a singular HR and finance directorate which is creating confusion among 2 departments.

Mayor Islamabad Sheikh Ansr Aziz narrated that MCI has no finance directorate; the department is totally dependent on CDA as they are the custodian of issuing funds to the Metropolitan.

Mayor added that under the parliament act, it was clarified that both departments’ employees should be separated under a clear mechanism but still, hundreds of employees as well as financial matters are hanging between two departments.

Senate committee irked over ineffective departmental segregation, and complaints of couples’ harassment

Previous government issued 15 million rupees to MCI for different projects but the new government refusing to release the funds is causing the crisis in delivering services by MCI.

The committee ordered finance ministry to sit with both parties and solve the financial issues as soon as possible. The committee asked Mayor Islamabad about the home work over upcoming schedule by MCI and ordered to complete it with regards to laws and regulations.

Commenting on the degrading situation of the Capital, the committee ordered to take comprehensive steps for ensuring the ‘esteemed value of the capital city’. Rehman Malik asked Mayor Islamabad why the guards on Munal road were harassing couples to show marriage agreements on their way to Monal, the sole recreational spot in Islamabad.

Committee ordered to establish more restaurants and ensure lighting in Monal as well as a proper mechanism to keep the spot clean.

Chairman of the committee while lamenting the food department added that there is no check and balance on food in Islamabad especially on meat and milk due to which citizens are complaining. MCI official replied that the slaughtering house should be established soon.

Regarding Islamabad Club, the committee inquired MCI under which law the Islamabad Club was increasing their prices and denying membership to the government employees and media persons? Committee ordered to submit a report on this issue in upcoming days.

Published in Daily Times, January 22^nd 2019.