Split emerges within board over inclusion of last-minute items in agenda. PHOTO: EXPRESS/FILE
However, Friday’s meeting was far from smooth.
The confab turned sour when one member objected to the inclusion of non-agenda items on the agenda at the eleventh hour and exchanged harsh words over the policy of last minute inclusions.
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In its previous meeting, the board had decided unanimously to notify the meeting’s agenda at least two days before the apex policy making body met.
However, this decided policy was not followed on Friday, a source privy to the meeting said.
The sources added that Islamabad Mayor and CDA Chairman Sheikh Anser Aziz contended that items could be included in the agenda at the twelfth hour as summaries from their relevant wings were proposed after Wednesday.
Board members also criticised CDA Board Secretary Asif Shah Jahan for poor management and placing incomplete summaries on the restoration of two plots.
The board, hence, deferred both summaries for the restoration of two plots.
“The schism between CDA board members split them into two groups with two members supporting the mayor while one was supporting Member Administration,” a source said.
“Due to this all agenda items falling in the domain of Member Estate were either deferred while both agenda items falling in the domain of Member Planning and Design were approved,” he said.
Earlier Member Administration said that the summaries must go through law directorate before they are included in board meeting’s agenda.
Aziz, however, said that only summaries which need legal assistance would go through the law directorate.
The board though approved demarcation 237 kanals of land for the King Hammad University in the National Institute of Health. Previously, the university was set to be established on 237 kanals of land Chatta Bakhtawar and Mouja village across Park Road.
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The board also reinstated 300 kanals for CDA’s Downtown project.
In 2014, King Hamad of Bahrain had announced that he would provide funds to build the university as a gift to the people of Pakistan. However, the Pakistani government would be responsible for arranging land and utility services for the varsity.
Bahrain subsequently gave Rs3 billion for the project. The university would house 2,000 students with 500 admissions annually and would have accommodation for 1,000 female students on campus.
A delegation from Bahrain, led by Dr Shaikha Rana bint Isa bin Daij Al-Khalifa visited Islamabad last year to finalise the project.
Sub division of plots
Besides this, the board also permitted the subdivision of residential plots abutting on vehicular streets.
However, restoration of plots 243-248 in the industrial triangle on Kahuta Road along with the restoration of plot C-2, in Blue Area was deferred due to incomplete proposed summaries.
“The summaries were proposed on a lump-sum basis in which it was recommended to restore plots by paying the authority Rs960 million for Blue Area plot and Rs460 million for another one, without vetting it from the finance wing. This happens when the authority is in dire need of revenue,” explained an officer of the finance wing.
Matters pertaining to waiving off non-development charges worth Rs3 million of plot 37 on Kahuta Road and another plot of the former Margalla Tower in Sector F-10 Markaz were not discussed.
Moreover, agenda regarding the imposition of sales taxes under Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) was referred to the finance division.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 18th, 2017.
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