Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) and Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI) need a workable ‘modus operandi’ to counter the increasing tension between elected representatives of Islamabad and authority’s employees over the day to day functioning of the enforcement directorate.

Since the local body polls in capital city and establishment of MCI, a tug of war between the CDA and the MCI can be clearly seen as both the institutions have differences over a number of issues, especially on the devolution of the directorate of enforcement.

Enforcement Directorate is responsible for removal of encroachments, illegal constructions and clearance of area for the developmental work, throughout the Capital.

Although, the CDA placed several departments under the control of MCI, but nothing is final yet as the worker and officer unions are in Islamabad High Court (IHC) and reluctant to join the metropolitan corporation.

The elected representatives have been continuously criticising the enforcement directorate for its unjust and discriminatory behaviour while doing ground operations since assuming their offices. In a recent meeting of the MCI the behaviour of the CDA high-ups in general was slammed; while, the chairmen of various union councils also complained that the enforcement directorate is not taking them on-board while conducting anti-encroachment operation in their respective areas.

The Mayor of Islamabad Shaikh Ansar Aziz had assured the members of MCI that he directed the CDA officials strictly to take the elected representatives of respective areas in confidence before launch of operation.

In recent days, the deputy mayors and chairmen approached the office of Member Planning CDA and Director Enforcement many times and exchanged harsh words, but the situation is going worst day by day as the said harsh talk is now converted into manhandling as on Friday the Chairman of Bari Imam Union Council Syed Adil Shah approached the CDA directorate of enforcement and misbehaved with the staff.

Sources inside the enforcement directorate said that the chairmen of union councils want to take over the whole functioning. They never visit us to assist the on ground operation.

An officer deputed in the said directorate said, “Politicians have their own problems and priorities they cannot say ‘no’ to their supporters even when they are doing wrong.”

The elected representatives told Daily Times, “the enforcement directorate of the CDA is bypassing us just to hide its corruption and malpractices as the directorate always do operation on discriminatory grounds.

They demanded that the authority should devise a policy to launch an anti-encroachment operation without any discrimination across the city. “If the authority do this we will fully support the move otherwise we cannot tolerate any discrimination”, they added.

While responding to the issue Chief Metropolitan Officer, Asad Kiani has said, “We are working to ease the tension and to prepare a policy for the smooth functioning of the affairs of enforcement directorate and soon the things will become on routine.”

The Director Enforcement Ishrat Warsi was not available to comment as he is on leave. However, Malik Saleem Iqbal in his comments on the issue said, “Anti-encroachment drive is a continuous process and the directorate has its own rules for the conduct of its business.”