The cash-strapped civic body of the federal capital has sought more time and money for the completion of development projects but seems unwilling to shed the burden of over 2,000 employees inducted in the agency in violation of rules.
Briefing a parliamentary panel on Wednesday about the financial health of the crisis-ridden Capital Development Authority (CDA), Chairman Tahir Shahbaz said the agency is not in a financially sound position to complete development projects. He maintained that some development work is underway.
Additional secretary of the Cabinet Division Shahidullah Beg brought up the issue of provincial and regional quota violations in hiring and said around 2,500 employees have been inducted in the CDA in violation of rules.
Shahbaz admitted that illegal appointments were made by his predecessors but maintained that in the backdrop of the upcoming elections, the CDA could not “risk” firing daily wage workers at this time, no matter if their recruitments were right or wrong.
The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Capital Administration and Development (CAD) Chairman Jamshaid Dasti, disagreed with Shahbaz’s statement. “Officers in power hire workers from their own areas in violation of the quota system,” Dasti claimed. “This is a grave injustice to other deserving people,” chided the official.
He said strict action should be taken against those daily wage workers who are not performing their duties and are burden on the civic body. “If some workers are not performing their duties, fire them,” he told Shahbaz.
“I’ve been in office for less than two months,” he told the committee.
“Let me generate some revenue first, so we can carry out development work,” Shahbaz said while briefing the committee on the development projects.
He informed the committee that 58% of work in the much-delayed D-12 sector has been completed. The project was to be completed years ago, but ran into problems that predate the CDA’s new management.
“Partly due to the connivance of people and partly due to the past CDA officials, the project has been running into trouble for the past 15 to 20 years,” he said. “We are trying to overcome these issues.”
Admitting irregularities in award of contracts in mega projects, Shahbaz informed the committee that the prime minister has taken notice of the single bidder tendering process under which Nespak was awarded the Park Enclave project contract. He said the CDA is considering issuing a new, competitive tender for the project.
He also said that action would be taken against agro farm owners for non-conforming use after the Ashura.
On the Kashmir Highway widening project, he said 28% and 8% of work have been completed on the third and fourth lanes respectively.
Shahbaz said the Margalla Avenue project will be completed by June 2013, while additional family suites and 500 servant quarters in Parliament Lodges were supposed to be completed this month, but four servant quarter blocks have not yet been inaugurated.
The CDA chairman faced a barrage of questions from the committee members.
Riaz Fatyana questioned the chairman about encroachments on Islamabad’s green belt and changes to the city’s master plan.
Shahbaz replied that during the last over one month he has been in charge, no new encroachments have popped up in the green belts.
“We have no intentions to make any changes to the city’s master plan,” Shahbaz added.
Deputationists
Beg proposed that the CDA chairman should not allot any plots to officers on deputation because more and more government officers are trying to get themselves transferred to CDA on deputation just to get a plot. Shahbaz said the CDA management has already decided that no plots will be awarded to deputationists.
“We have formed a two-member committee to look into deputations,” he said. “We are repatriating 20 to 25 officers on deputation to their parent organisations and trying to figure out the agency’s total requirement for officers on deputation.”
Speaking to The Express Tribune after the meeting, Dasti said Shahbaz is the first CDA chairman who talks openly about CDA’s affairs. “We are confident that the new CDA management will bring about change,” Dasti said.
Vandalism at Pims
The committee gave directives for disciplining young doctors involved in vandalism at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims).
The committee was of the opinion that non-professionalism attitude from young doctors was intolerable. The Ministry of Capital Administration and Development (CAD) assured the legislators that action would be taken against them.
Dasti also suggested a ban on strikes and damaging public property in hospitals. “The government spends around Rs1 million to produce a doctor but some of them indulge in disruptive activities and spoil the hospital’s peaceful environment, making patients insecure,” Dasti said.
“Degrees of doctors who make patients suffer both psychologically and physically should be cancelled immediately.” Dasti said, “The doctors’ licences should also be cancelled.”
Pims Executive Director (ED) Prof Riaz Warraich said an inquiry into the October 20 incident in which young doctors scuffled with their seniors and damaged an office has found a medical officer and three postgraduate (PGs) trainees guilty.
A committee headed by CAD joint secretary has been constituted to recommend action against the MO, he said, adding the three PGs will be sent back to their respective provinces and their concerned departments will be requested to initiate action against them.
MNA Mahreen Razaque Bhutto expressed reservations over the wastage of funds by former Pims ED Prof Mehmood Jamal. “During his three-year tenure, nothing tangible was done despite ample funds at his disposal.”
Issues of persons with disabilities
The committee suggested improving educational facilities for disabled children.
Fatyana said Pakistan has ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities but there has been little progress on the issue.
According to the Ordinance on Disabled Persons, 1981, government is committed to provide 2% job quota for PWDs, he added. “Currently, there are 8,000 posts for these people, but half of them are vacant.”
He suggested old homes and a centre for PWDs be established in the capital.
Additional input by Sehrish Wasif
Published in The Express Tribune, November 22nd, 2012.
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