CDA problems: Probe body to investigate civic agency’s improprieties

CDA needs to clarify the issue of compensating the villagers of G-17 to the role of chief coordinators of Islamabad.

ISLAMABAD:

For the officials of the Capital Development Authority (CDA), this Monday was certainly not one to remember.

From the issue of compensating the villagers of G-17 to the role of the politically appointed chief coordinator of Islamabad in affairs of the civic agency, there was plenty to clarify for CDA officials.

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) after a hearing on three identical petitions challenging various actions taken by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) during Faisal Sakhi Butt’s tenure, summoned the chairperson of PM’s taskforce on Islamabad. Butt has to appear in the court on September 17 along with CDA Road and Maintenance Director Ali Anwar Gopal.

The decision was taken by IHC Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui while hearing a land-allotment case based on petitions filed by Senator Babar Awan, former Islamabad Bar Association president Niazullah Niazi and Barrister Zafarullah Khan.

The court also constituted a commission comprising former Supreme Court judge Sardar Raza Khan to investigate allegations, including those of improprieties in the shelved LED streetlight project, Park Enclave and the Kuri Model Village project, the last of which is currently being looked into by the Federal Investigation Agency.

Moreover, Senator Babar Awan’s petition requested the court to seek details of all plots, sites, shops, kiosks and restaurants auctioned, allotted or leased out to different people during Butt’s tenure.

During the course of hearing on Monday, Butt’s lawyer, Dr Basit, argued that the show-cause notice was challenged in a division bench (DB) and was set aside by that court, leaving no reason to take action against his client. He added that his client was no longer chairman of the PM’s task force on Islamabad as the notification appointing him had been suspended in May.

Justice Siddiqui asked why Butt was reluctant to appear in court and told the lawyer to repeat his arguments when his client is present.

Meanwhile, the court rejected an unconditional apology tendered by CDA officials in response to a contempt case filed against them. The officials met with Faisal Sakhi Butt after the court had restrained them from doing so.

The court observed that the officials had admitted to meeting with Butt despite the orders and it is now important to know if Butt had intervened in any CDA affairs after he was barred from doing so. The court asked them to submit their reply on Tuesday (today).

The same bench also directed CDA officials to provide a solid proposal for land compensation of villagers from sectors H-16 and I-17 by September 13. The court had previously ordered the suspension of salary payments to the CDA chairman, members, directors general, deputy directors general and directors until the case was resolved, but the order was set aside by a divisional bench.

Representing the affected villagers, Advocate Tariq Noon informed the court that the CDA promptly gave compensation to influential people, but his clients were still awaiting compensation.

Justice Siddiqui expressed annoyance and asked CDA Finance Member Javed Jehangir where the money for the affected villagers was and why the CDA was not compensating them.

Jehangir said the CDA has started auctioning commercials plots and after that is done, they will pay out compensation. He said Rs1.5 million were invested in the stock exchange during Housing Secretary Kamran Lashari’s tenure as CDA chief and that currently the CDA has no money left to pay compensation. When the court asked on whose orders the money was invested in the stock exchange, Jehangir pled ignorance, saying that it happened before he had been posted in the civic body.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 11^th, 2012.