Senate panel meeting : Interior ministry’s ‘interference’ in CDA’s affairs questioned

Interior minister has been overseeing process of transfer of powers to IMC

ISLAMABAD: A Senate committee on Thursday sought clarification from the interior secretary asking under what capacity the interior ministry was interfering in the affairs of the civic agency and in transference of powers to the local government in Islamabad.

The Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat, which met under the chairmanship of Senator Talha Mehmood here at the Parliament House, took exception to a recent order issued by the interior minister to the civic authorities regarding housing schemes for low-income government employees and the ministry’s role in devolution of powers from the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to the Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation (IMC). The interior minister has been overseeing the process of transfer of powers to the IMC.

Capital Administration and Development Division Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhary assured the committee that the federal government would notify within a day or two the IMC, as the CDA had submitted a final draft regarding distribution of assets, functions, responsibilities and powers of the IMC, but the draft was pending with the interior ministry for approval.

Senator Kalsoom Perveen drew attention of the chair towards the issue of a recent press statement by the interior minister regarding low-income housing schemes for government employees, saying, “Why the interior ministry is taking interest in opening new residential sectors, which don’t fall under its mandate”.

To this, Senator Mehmood commented that the interior ministry should focus on improving the law and order situation and law enforcement agencies, rather than suggesting opening new sectors in Islamabad.

“The interior secretary should attend the next meeting of the committee to clarify the statement,” Mehmood remarked.

Usage of Citizens’ Club

The city managers told the committee that they were weighing the option of converting the Citizens’ Club building at Fatima Jinnah Park into a “multi-purpose complex” in line with the India Centre in Lodhi Gardens, Delhi.

Principal architect of the project Nayyar Ali Dada has floated the suggestion, the committee was told.

The Rs1.25 billion Citizens’ Club project was abandoned in 2010 after the Supreme Court declared it illegal, observing it would only serve the interest of the elite.

Although work on the building was almost complete, the CDA was yet to decide for what purpose it will be used in the future. Under a proposal, besides other things, a museum will also be established in the building.

The PM’s Office has promised to provide two Rolls Royce cars and other valuable items from Tosha Khana to the proposed museum.

Besides the museum, a 600-seated auditorium, a library with 100,000 books, a residential facility of 56 rooms, lounging and dining facilities, fitness centre etc will be established at the building under the proposed multi-purpose complex.

The second proposal involves conversion of the club’s building into “Pakistan Centre” comprising a cultural-cum-educational wing, sports wing and residential-cum-culinary wing.

The Pakistan Centre will be a facility specifically for youth where they will be groomed and trained in their respective fields through training sessions, seminars, workshops etc.

The proposal also says that budding artists, athletes, actors, culinary chefs, entrepreneur etc will be housed and trained in their fields of interest, while, art exhibitions will also be held at the Pakistan Centre.

The committee was told that a committee headed by the CDA chairperson has been working on financial, administrative and technical aspects of the proposals and soon one of them would be finalised.

The meeting was attended by senators Shahi Syed, Osman Saifullah Khan, Haji Saifullah Khan Bangash, Najma Hameed, and Kalsoom Perveen.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 27^th, 2016.