Daily Times

Around 5,528 partially transferred employees of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI) are still hanging between the two departments since years as both the departments have failed to carry out the orders of the Senate Standing Committee on Interior regarding the resolution of their issues. The committee chaired by Senator Rehman Malik last month ordered both heads of CDA and MCI to resolve their administrative, financial and legal issues and submit a report to the committee. The committee instructed both department heads to solve the partially transferred employees issues on emergency basis as the said employees are in confusion whether they are part of CDA or MCI. It’s pertinent to mention 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 the two departments.

A source told that various fractional issues are hanging between the two departments but still no action has been taken seriously to address the matter on war footing despite the committee urging the heads of autonomous bodies to resolve their frictional administrative issues promptly in the best interest of the city.

“A month has passed but both departments have failed to adopt a mechanism on this issue due to which employees are still unaware whether they are a part of CDA or MCI. This is a tense situation for all of them,” the source added.

According to the data available with this scribe, 11,500 employees have been handed over to MCI while 5,528 have been partially transferred and 21 directorates have been transferred to the MCI.

Hundreds of employees and financial matters are hanging between the two departments

Both bodies have a singular human resource, public relations and finance directorate which is creating confusion among the two departments since long. The MCI has no financial body, that is why it’s fully dependent on CDA due to which Islamabad’s maintenance is suffering.

An MCI official on condition of anonymity told Daily Times that these employees aren’t fulfilling their duties due to the confusion. Also, no new project has been initiated for furnishing or beautification as MCI has no funds and the project accepted by the previous government has been frozen by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government due to unknown reasons. That’s why, no solid measures have been taken to ensure the dignity of the city. It should be mentioned that in the last committee meeting, Rehman Malik in the presence of Islamabad Mayor Sheikh Ansar Aziz and CDA Chairman Aamir Ali Ahmad, strictly ordered both heads not only to solve the disputed issues with collaboration of Finance Ministry but to also ensure the value of the city, but officials in both the departments confirmed that the premier’s orders have been put under the carpet by both department heads.

When contacted, CDA Official Spokesperson Safdar Ali Shah told that the matter was under consideration by the committee and the civic agency will soon move forward on the issue.

Sheikh Ansar Aziz remained unavailable for comment.

Published in Daily Times, February 20^th 2019.