Daily Times

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday directed formulation of a systematic plan to check encroachments in the federal capital, including the use of drone technology.

Chairing a meeting on civic problems of Islamabad, the prime minister stressed the need for utilizing modern technology to put in place in-time measures to stop encroachment.

The prime minister emphasized the need of a single regulatory body to ensure effective implementation of all rules and building bylaws in the federal capital.

On clean and green environment, he urged massive tree planting campaign and asked the city administration to incentivize the exercise to ensure full participation of local people in protection of green areas.

The meeting was attended by Planning Minister Asad Umar, Special Assistant for Capital Development Authority’s Affairs Ali Nawaz Awan, Chairman CDA Aamer Ali Ahmed, MNA Raja Khurram Nawaz and senior officials.

The Chairman CDA in a briefing on encroachments said the main reason was lack of a unified regulatory framework, which was divided among the CDA, the Registrar Societies and the Securities & Exchange Commission of Pakistan.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan said the government was focusing on increasing the exports of information technology products.

In a meeting with Chairman Special Technology Zones Authority (STZA) Amir Hashmi, the prime minister said provision of facilities to the IT-related workforce was the top priority of the government.

The meeting discussed progress on establishment of Islamabad Technopolis, the capital’s special technology zone.

The Chairman STZA informed the prime minister that domestic and foreign companies were showing keen interest in investing in technology zones.

After the federal capital, the special technology zones will be set up in the provincial capitals.

CDA: The Capital Development Authority’s (CDA) enforcement directorate had demolished some 20,511 illegal structures and retrieved 13,000 Kanals state land from illegal occupants in last five years period, said an official document.

According to document, CDA had conducted a total of 6,012 anti-encroachment operations in various areas of Federal capital in last five years.

Stern action was taken against the officers on negligence after receiving complaints and verifying facts. Some seven employees were placed under suspension while inquiries were in progress against two officials and warning letters had been issued to five employees on dereliction from duties.

Farrukh Habib:State Minister for Information & Broadcasting Farrukh Habib Monday said that planned development was imperative to check future civic problems in major cities of the country.

Addressing a meeting at the Faisalabad Development Authority offices here, he said that on the special directive of Prime Minister Imran Khan, the FDA was preparing a master plan for the emerging metropolis of central Punjab.

He said that mushroom growth of urban cities had deteriorated quality of life, in addition to further complicating the civic problems. He said that the PM had issued clear directions for ensuring planned and systematic growth of the cities so that we could give neat and clean and problem-free cities to the coming generations.

Earlier, FDA Director General Dr Faisal Azeem briefed the state minister and said that Master Plan 2021-41 would play a pivotal role in socioeconomic development of Faisalabad, which is the third largest city of Pakistan.

He said the plan had been designed according to international standards and now all stakeholders including members national and provincial assemblies were being consulted for improvement in the project and giving final touches to its feasibility.

FDA Chairman Chaudhry Lateef Nazar, Chairman Parks & Horticulture Authority (PHA) Mian Waris Aziz, Provincial Parliamentary Secretary for Labour Mian Shakeel Shahid, MPA Chaudhry Ali Akhtar, Mian Nabeel Arshad, Sher Afgan Cheema and others were also present in the meeting.