Mandated to deliver: IMC yet to execute full functions

People say core civic issue remain unattended

ISLAMABAD: People of rural and urban areas of Islamabad are in a quandary over where to go to get grievances related to civic issues addressed.

Despite delegation of powers and transfer of some 49 directorates — 23 fully and 26 partially — to the elected members, the Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation (IMC) has failed to deliver on core civic issues.

Notifications issued by the federal government regarding transfer and sharing of the 49 directorates between the IMC and the Capital Development Authority (CDA) have also created ambiguity among civic body employees.

According to these notifications, five directorates including public relations, security, information technology, coordination and machinery pool organisation (MPO) have fully been placed under the administrative control of the Islamabad mayor, but at the same time these directorates will execute CDA functions till the civic agency makes its own arrangements for these core functions.

“The notification shows that the CDA will again establish these departments in the future. If so, what is the logic of their being transferred to the IMC,” an official of the CDA said while requesting anonymity.

In the last week of June, the federal government notified that health services, 1122 emergency service, municipal administration, sports and culture, CDA Hospital, security, bulk water management, sewerage, development, machine and sanitation and others under the administrative control of the local government.

Directorates including administration, HRD, law, labour, enforcement, finance, audit, accounts revenue and treasury and several other directorates will be shared by the IMC and the CDA before they were fully transferred to the IMC in three months.

Temporary offices of the Islamabad Mayor Sheikh Ansar Aziz and his three deputies Zeeshan Naqvi alias Shaani Shah, Chaudhry Riffat Javed and Azam Khan have been set up in old naval headquarters building but they seldom show up, said a source.

“We are eagerly waiting for our representatives to deliver as it is almost a year since they were elected but they have done nothing,” Sajid Khan, a resident of Bhara Kahu said.

Naseer Ahmed, a resident of Shah Allah Ditta, said that their areas lacked basic amenities including portable water, basic health units and schools and the residents had placed high hope on the elected members but they have miserably failed to deliver.

The first session of the IMC was held on June 27 but since then no formal could be started by the body.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 17^th, 2016.