Make IMC an effective body: Rehman Malik

Senate panel forms sub-committee to resolve IMC, CDA issues


Our Correspondents November 09, 2018
Rehman Malik. PHOTO: AFP

RAWALPINDI/ ISLAMABAD: Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation (IMC) should be made an active and effective body to serve the people of Islamabad, said Senator Rehman Malik on Thursday.

Senate Standing Committee on Interior Chairman Senator Rehman Malik directed the finance ministry and interior ministry to resolve the issue of unapproved rules of the IMC and its differences with Capital Development Authority.

Chairing the committee’s meeting, he constituted a sub-committee to be headed by Senator Shibli Faraz to look into all the matters and issues of IMC and its differences with CDA.

Islamabad Mayor Sheikh Ansar Aziz informed the committee about the organisational and financial problems of IMC and said that CDA is not cooperating with the corporation. Committee was informed that the IMC cannot function properly without its rules and regulations and cannot spend the funds it collects against various municipal services. He told the committee that the interior ministry has forwarded the proposed rules many months ago but they are yet to be approved by the Establishment Division and the finance ministry.

Senators Shibli Faraz, Kalsoom Perveen, Muhammad Javed Abbasi, Asad Ali Khan Junejo, Rana Maqbool Ahmad, Haji Momen Khan Afridi, Mian Muhammad Attique Shaikh besides Sheikh Ansar Aziz mayor of Islamabad, Chairman CDA Afzal Latif, Secretary Ministry of Interior, Home Secretary Balochistan, Commissioner Islamabad and senior officers of the attached departments.

Cash-strapped RMC losing power

Meanwhile Rawalpindi Municipal Corporation anti-encroachment operation seems to have failed tio bring the desired results.

During a consultative meeting of RMC on Thursday, Rawalpindi Mayor Sardar Naseem Khan and Chief Metropolitan Officer Shafqat Raza confirmed increasing number of encroachments in the city. He said that police force is available for enforcement staff therefore it should work without fear.

“As a mayor I am not favouring anyone, if there is any encroachment remove it, don’t ask me,” he told the enforcement team.

RMC officials said they were short of heavy machinery to tear down illegal structures in the sprawling city. They told the meeting that a summary has been sent to additional secretary local government for the purchase of machinery needed for the operation against encroachment and illegal constructions.

No show at auction

No one showed up to bid for the rights to collect fee from vehicles at the official wagon stand of RMC.

The officials kept waiting for the bidders but no one came to bid at the auction for the rights to collect fee from people using public toilets, parking area and municipal abattoir.

Mayor Naseem, CMO Raza and auction committee kept waiting for participants of the auction for three hours and finally left dejected.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 9th, 2018.

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