Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Government on Monday transferred Mr. Maroof Afzal from the post of Chairman, Capital Development Authority (CDA) and posted him as Additional Secretary, Establishment Division; whereas, the Federal Secretary of the Ministry of Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) Hasan Iqbal, has been appointed as acting Chairman of the Authority for the next three months.

According to details, two separate notifications have been issued by the Establishment Division regarding the transfer of Chairman CDA, Maroof Afzal and appointment of Secretary CADD Hasan Iqbal, as acting chairman of the civic body.

A notification issued in this regard stated; “Mr. Maroof Afzal presently appointed as Chairman CDA is transferred and posted as Additional Secretary, Establishment Division with immediate effect until further orders.”

Maroof Afzal is a BS-21 officer of the Pakistan Administrative Service Group and he was appointed as Chairman CDA in December 2013. Earlier, before assuming the charge of the CDA, he was serving in the National Highway Authority (NHA) as its chairman.

A tussle between the State Minister for CADD Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhry and Chairman CDA Maroof Afzal, is not a hidden story as three month prior to today’s orders, the latter was also sent on forced leave for one month in response to refuse the State Minister’s orders.

Sources inside the CDA briefed that there were grave rifts between both Tariq Fazal Chaudhry and Maroof Afzal on some important issues; whereas, failing to reach on a conclusion regarding devolution of powers between the Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI) and the CDA also played a vital role in this change.

The source added further that the Mayor of Islamabad and the State Minister for CADD considered Maroof Afzal as a hurdle in the smooth settlement of the differences between the MCI and CDA.

In review of the tenure of Maroof Afzal, one thing is quite clear that he has failed to launch any new mega project and he was also under the allegations of corruption in the Land and Estate Wing while allocating plots to the affected persons.

Another notification regarding appointment of Hassan Iqbal, stated that the Secretary CADD is assigned additional charge of the post of Chairman, CDA for a period of three months or till the posting of a regular incumbent.

Hassan Iqbal is a grade 22 officer of the Pakistan Administrative Service Group and presently he is working as the Secretary, Ministry of CADD.

A well-placed source inside the Authority was of the view over the change of chairman: “After the removal of Maroof Afzal and appointment of Hassan Iqbal, the State Minister for CADD Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhry has become more powerful as the secretary of his own ministry has become the acting Chairman, CDA and now he can directly run the affairs of the civic body by using the ‘one window operation’.

Although, the Directorate of Public Relations has declared the latest move as a routine matter and ruled out any possibility of pressure behind the transfer, it is quite important that the federal government should appoint a permanent head of the civic body, instead of appointing an acting chairman as the Authority is already working in absence of its two board members out of a total of six.