Govt inches forward to stop ad-hocism

Agency finally appoints estate member

ISLAMABAD: The government is trudging along in its efforts to address ad-hocism in the Capital Development Authority (CDA) as another senior position was filled on Monday after the appointment of Flt Lt (retd) Khushal Khan as the estate member.

Khan a BS-19 officer of Pakistan Administrative Service, is moving over from the Prime Minister’s office. The position of estate member has been empty after Shaista Sohail was transferred to the Economic Affairs Division in May 2014.

The CDA Board comprises a chairman and six members – all officers of grade-20 – for finance and accounts, administration, planning and design, engineering, environment, and estate and land.

The federal government, through the establishment division, appoints the members.Of the six key posts, two have been vacant for a while, and the wings were being run on ad hoc basis.

The work of the estate and land member, which deals with the commercial and residential plot allotments, was in the hands of junior officers for more than two years. In December 2016, Yasir Pirzada, a grade 20 Inland Revenue officer, was appointed CDA administration member, while in November, the board had recommended the abolition of the post of environment member as then the post has been vacant for a while and the government has yet to decide on its future role. Minister of State for Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry on December 31 suspended four officers of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) over unsatisfactory municipal and allied services including Engineering Member Shahid Sohail. The engineering wing is being run through temporary arrangements by giving additional charge to Planning Member Asad Mehboob Kiyani.

The top job in the agency, however, is still in the hands of an ad-hoc appointee.

Islamabad Mayor Sheikh Anser Aziz was appointed the ‘part-time’ CDA chairman through a notification dated September 6, 2016, but sources told The Express Tribune that there is a good chance that a BS-21 bureaucrat is appointed to replace him ‘soon.’

Published in The Express Tribune, February 1^st, 2017.