ISLAMABAD, Nov 3: Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration has been without a functional website for the past nine months.

Due to the anomaly, residents are facing difficulties in getting information about the capital city, Dawn has learnt.

An official of the ICT administration, requesting not to be identified, said that there was an official website of ICT, when the office was situated in sector F-8.

In January 2012, the equipment of the website was removed, when the office was shifted to G-11/4. In the new office the equipment has not been installed so far.

“The management is not interested in solving the issues of the federal capital due to which the staff members of the Chief Commissioner’s office are not taking their work seriously,” the ICT administration official said.

“The administration is more interested in getting possession of buildings, which are lying vacant. They should take interest in solving the problems of the people,” the official said.

Abdul Qadir Sheikh, who had recently returned from the United Kingdom, said: “The Pakistani community in the UK used to get information about Islamabad, especially regarding land issues from ICT’s website but now it has been blocked.”

“A couple of months ago, I and some Pakistani friends wanted to buy some land in a housing society. We searched the website of the Islamabad Capital Territory to find out the status of the housing society but were disappointed to see that the website was not functional,” he said.

“Now we browse CDA’s website but its information is focused on urban areas not rural,” complained the expat, who is planning to invest in Islamabad’s rural areas.

A resident, Shahid Nazir said that the internet had become the most important and quickest way of getting information.

“Because of security reasons it has become almost impossible to meet officers in the ICT office, so a website is the best way to disseminate information,” he suggested.

Media coordinator of ICT administration Khalid Mehmood while talking to Dawn said that the website was functional while the office was in F-8 Markaz but the office was shifted in G-11/4, and the Server was removed.

“I will talk to the relevant officials and will ensure that the equipment is installed, as soon as possible,” he assured.