Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation (IMC) got administrative powers from CDA and notification in this regard was issued Thursday by the authority.

According to CDA sources, 23 directorates including Environment Wing, Directorate of Water Management, Sports and Culture, Emergency and Disaster Management, Management of Simli Dam and HRD would be fully devolved to IMC.

The official said CDA has completed documentation and other codal formalities in this regard. Once the powers would be devolved, the official said, thousands of employees of these directorates would also come under the supervision of IMC.

He, however, said the CDA had decided to give complete administrative powers of Environment Wing except the F-9 Park and Lake View Park that were most renowned and revenue generator places.

When contacted, the Mayor Office official said though the Environment Wing has seven directorates but without the two major parks of the capital its importance would be less.

He claimed the newly elected deputy mayors of Islamabad have made renovations of their offices in Old Naval Headquarter at their own and nothing was done by the CDA.

The IMC office was not provided staff and transport vehicles so far since the Mayor election held in February 2016.

It may be mention here that Section 67 of the act a local government shall, within three months of the assumption of office, frame bylaws for the conduct of its meetings.

Despite the lapse of the said time period, the local government has yet to take up its duties due to bureaucratic hurdles in devolution of powers, distribution of assets, and transfer of functions to the elected representatives.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had also announced to approach the court if the government continued to delay the devolution of powers to elected representatives till May 31.

The PTI had claimed that the government was unwilling to functional the local body system in the capital.