Top court slams CDA for inaction on Islamabad's development issues
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Justice Gulzar Ahmed on Thursday, while hearing a suo motu case concerning illegal constructions in Islamabad's Banigala area, expressed severe dissatisfaction with the Capital Development Authority's (CDA) performance.
"The point behind making Islamabad the federal capital is lost, mountains and forests have been eradicated, streams and rivers are full of trash, [and] have you seen the Rawal lake?" Justice Gulzar asked CDA Chairmen Amir Ahmed Ali, who was present in court today.
When the CDA chairman tried to clarify his position, Justice Gulzar said: "Please do not give us [excuses], if you do not want to work, please go somewhere else."
"Tell us if you complied with the court's orders," Justice Gulzar asked the CDA chairman. The chairman answered in the negative, saying the authority could not fully comply with the court's orders.
"Go, look at what is happening at the new airport. Do you want to turn the whole city into a slum? We were under the impression that such a state of affairs only exists in Karachi," Justice Gulzar replied.
"If you are not worthy of this position, why are you sitting here? Please go somewhere else, you already got your plot," he continued.
"Since I have come to Islamabad, I have seen that you have been unable to complete work on the Kashmir Highway; incomplete structures have been left as they are; and you never thought that criminals and drug addicts will take refuge here. This is your performance," the judge railed.
"You just keep making and selling plots and creating slums. I am amazed: Is this even Islamabad?" he remarked
Responding to the judge, the CDA chairman said "God willing, we will work [to make things better]."
"What do you mean, God willing? tell us what planning you have done. What a blessed day it will be when you will do some work. When will that moon arise?" Justice Gulzar asked
The CDA chairman asked for a month's time, "I will show you my performance."
The bench, having received the assurance, adjourned hearing the case for a month.
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Comments (42) Closed
Apr 04, 2019 03:27pm
Confiscate his and his family's property. This CDA goon is dangerous person for the capital's future.
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Apr 04, 2019 03:28pm
What for CDA has a manpower of over 25,000 fully paid workers and staff? They hardly do any work except getting plots allotted to self and doing official work on personal contracts, on officially paid time?
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Apr 04, 2019 03:53pm
@Chingez Khan, report your own.
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Apr 04, 2019 03:53pm
hes sitting there for money.
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Apr 04, 2019 04:01pm
Again on the payroll of the big PPP and PMLN knobs.
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Apr 04, 2019 04:06pm
Replace all these useless rats with overseas Pakistanis and see this country develop. Only incompetent useless people are left in the govt eating this country like termites
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Apr 04, 2019 04:09pm
First find out who appoint this guy as a chairman CDA. Court call him in this case Also sack him and disqualified For any higher position in Pakistan . Also charged that peron who appoint him as CDA.chairman.
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Apr 04, 2019 04:10pm
Why does it take a judge to intervene before these rediculously over paid ndividuals are willing to “I’ll show you my performance “ Where has this CDA chairman been all this time ?
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Apr 04, 2019 04:21pm
A total and shameful failure by CDA. Please I humbly request the SC to take strictest action and fully and entirely ban all housing in Banigala area, take over all the properties there including the residence of PM Imran and replant the whole area as a protected forest area. The people living there can be instead allotted CDA flats for simple and clean environmental living . Secondly, please stop all the new private residential estates that are springing up as they please, all over and around Islamabad. There should remain a 25 kms broad 'green cordon' all around the capital city and any building in this zone should be simply demolished. On small farmers should be allowed to practise agriculture in the suburbs of Islamabad. Maximum housing in the city and the new sectors should be limited to high rise apartments. Further, Margalla hills should reman a protected area and minimum housing of local communities or campsites and small cabins should be permitted in 2 or 3 spots only .
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Apr 04, 2019 04:23pm
What a shame this CDA chairman is; he should be released from his position with no pension or income. Might as well confiscate all his property and lotted income.
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Apr 04, 2019 04:29pm
Oh here we go again. So the Highest Court would revert to last year norm next year.
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Apr 04, 2019 04:36pm
The officials who don't perform their duties should be sacked after full investigation by the courts. They have become immune to such lectures and warnings.
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Apr 04, 2019 04:39pm
Another conspiracy against the District management Group - the architect of Pakistan whether old or new. But dont' worry nothing will happen to these officers. We are under elite capture. They will be transferred to some other deptt at a more powerful post. Also they will castigate you and me for being thankless to such geniuses working for the govt of Pakistan.
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Apr 04, 2019 04:40pm
I wont be surprised if the judge is shot by assailants in broad daylight. This is Pakistan after all
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Apr 04, 2019 04:44pm
No end to corruption.
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Apr 04, 2019 04:44pm
""Go, look at what is happening at the new airport. Do you want to turn the whole city into a slum? We were under the impression that such a state of affairs only exists in Karachi," Justice Gulzar replied."
Now Karachi has become a benchmark for rubbish, slums, corruption, incompetencies.
We have failed Karachi!!
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Apr 04, 2019 04:51pm
This is the right way to get the things done. The heads of the departments are responsible and they should be made to work like this.
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Apr 04, 2019 04:57pm
What a shame for this CDA guy..!!
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Apr 04, 2019 04:58pm
Please offer these positions to capable overseas, don't waste our money. These guys should be sacked straight away, without a delay.
Useless today is useless tomorrow. Simple!!!!
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Apr 04, 2019 05:05pm
@M. Saeed, The CDA chairman can order his subordinates to do work. what else he can do if the subordinates are not working . if he terminates anyone the next day SC will restore him.
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Apr 04, 2019 05:07pm
in current times, top position like chairman cda is a very demanding position ..not only they should be authoritative to make people work but along should be competent and have exposure and vision . there are lots of thing my suggestion right now to cda chairman is that why islamabad is beautiful .?? the main reason is greenery. so make it more green. both sides of kashmir highway after g9 singal onwards towards golra moor, there is vast last which can be filled with tree , and by the way its not chairmans job. cda is full on people who just have jobs thats it.
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Apr 04, 2019 05:29pm
F-12 is a glaring example of CDA's failure on all fronts. This one sector if developed can solve all of CDA's financial problems.
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Apr 04, 2019 05:35pm
First of all bravo judge....
Second good luck , hope you and your family are safe from this thug
Third thank you for ans to that INSHALLAH WE WILL WORK ON IT... why haven't you done it before??
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Apr 04, 2019 05:49pm
@Ahmad Abbas, ; Who is the majority in Karachi?
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Apr 04, 2019 05:59pm
Talent being wasted in Pakistan but untalented and incompetent are sitting on high posts. This virus is eating my country from inside out.
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Apr 04, 2019 06:24pm
"We were under the impression that such a state of affairs only exists in Karachi", a slap on Sind government's face.
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Apr 04, 2019 06:24pm
@shameful, Truth hearts isn't it?
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Apr 04, 2019 06:51pm
@Nadeem, you write on Quora as well ?
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Apr 04, 2019 07:02pm
Good willing pet phrase of every Pakistani. It's mean nada
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Apr 04, 2019 07:03pm
Karachi was once the Paris of far east.Now PPP has turned this city into Garbage city and this is the bench mark.
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Apr 04, 2019 07:04pm
Thank you honorable Judge! These government officials drawing huge salaries need to work or should be replaced.
Moving them to an other job will be to shifting responsibilities. GET RID Of These incompetent federal employees. Respectfully
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Apr 04, 2019 07:23pm
What about Sector E-12, is anyone bothered about its future!
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Apr 04, 2019 07:24pm
Right! Please listen to SC Justice Saeed Khosa's remarks on CDA and CDA Chairman. SC is very unhappy about overall performance of the authority and its failure to implement true spirit of capital's master plan and lack of quality development in sectors. SC is also concerned with encroachment on Margalla Hills. So rest assure CDA is going to develop sectors soon soon or city managers will be replaced by those who can deliver to masses.
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Apr 04, 2019 08:34pm
It is a catch 22 situation. Bureaucrats are appointed as chairmen of CDA who have no stake in the city. Secondly, the chairmen who want to make the difference are hindered by the courts because CDA employees, land grabbers and violators of rules are granted stay orders by the courts so no action can be taken against them. Court system is equally responsible for the chaos
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Apr 04, 2019 09:19pm
On the one hand the SC admonishes the CDA and yet on the other the same court legalizes illegally built structures without any regard to Islamabad's master plan. In fact, frivolous stay orders granted without a thought are the single biggest fcotr in promoting rules violations across the country.
It is the frequent intervention into the workings of all regulatory bodies - including CDA - by the courts and successive governments which is responsible for administrative paralysis and rampant dysfunction. This has to stop. While pontificating from the bench, the judges' must recognize their own responsibility in creating this chaos.
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Apr 04, 2019 10:52pm
CDA is a white elephant, which does nothing except grabbing the plots and other fringe benefits.The whole affair of Islamabad is in shear mess and full of filth and gives s picture of mismatch.The PM must intervene.
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Apr 04, 2019 10:59pm
The whole system isnt working....it is creating chaos....what starts out a simple plan gets lost in greed and corruption. What is the route cause to these repeated failings...? Once the answer has been found and a effective system put into place all development should stop.
The most important factor is who should have the final say in everything? what are the checks and balances ensuring compliance as opposed to embezzlement and corruption and bribery.
NB The courts have done very little to those who have been convicted of corruption and bribery so these others think what is the worst that can happen if they get caught playing foul....The courts need to make an example so its a lesson for everyone else to think twice if they get caught.
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Apr 05, 2019 12:22am
@Danish, he was appointed Chairman CDA a month ago
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Apr 05, 2019 12:23am
@A Marzook, he was appointed Chairman CDA a month ago
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Apr 05, 2019 12:31am
Well, the current Chairman of CDA was appointed as Chairman CDA a month ago. He is given the additonal charge of the post of Chairman CDA by the Prime Minister himself apart from his regular duties as Chief Commissioner Islamabad. At present, CDA is only responsible for planning and development work and the rest of its functions e.g. municipal, sanitation etc have been transferred to Mayor’s Office and as per law CDA only works in sectoral areas. As regard new Islamabad International Airport, it is under the domain of Civil Aviation Authority. Whereas, Pakistan EPA is responsible for Rawal Dam. Let’s not blame all on Chairman CDA and give him some time to work for the betterment of the city.
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Apr 05, 2019 03:49am
@Jameel, as soon as you speak up they may be ousted. what have you reported to date? .....exactly.
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Apr 05, 2019 03:50am
@KHK, which truth? I never read the story.
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