Decision reversed: Control of CDA likely to revert to interior ministry

A state minister will look after the agency’s affairs, sources say.

ISLAMABAD:

The federal government has decided to hand over the administrative control of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to the interior ministry. A notification to this effect is expected over the next few days, according to sources.

“The decision was taken following criticism in the media after Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan issued several directives to the CDA chief and asked for a presentation on the issues the agency is confronted with in a recent news conference,” said a senior leader of the PML-N, requesting anonymity. “A notification is expected within a day or two,” he added.

Currently, the interior minister is informally overseeing CDA’s affairs but the agency is answerable to the Cabinet Division. PML-N MNA from Islamabad Dr Tariq Fazl Chaudhry is due to take oath as state minister for interior in the next few days, said sources. “Once he is sworn in, Dr Fazl will manage CDA’s affairs and report to the interior minister, who does not want to be labelled as the de facto head of the agency,” he added.



On Monday, CDA’s Human Resources directorate issued a notification directing all officials of the CDA on deputation to report back to their respective parent cadres. The notification has been issued to revert postings and transfers of dozens of CDA officials serving on lucrative posts within the authority which do not relate to their cadre, said an official of the directorate.

Meanwhile, rumours about possible changes in the CDA board are doing the rounds in the authority. After the newly-appointed CDA chairman, Nadeen Hasan Asif, it is likely that Members Engineering, Planning, Estate and Administration will be replaced with ‘competent’ officers. However, no officer was willing to come on record to confirm the development.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 25^th, 2013.