ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Interior has informed Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI) that its proposed establishment and financial rules could not get approval because of incomplete division of assets and manpower between MCI and CDA.

The interior ministry communicated this to the mayor and CDA chairman through a letter in response to a letter from the mayor.

Mayor Sheikh Anser Aziz in his letter had stated: “MCI has already passed the Schedule of Establishment and Rules of Business of MCI and same may kindly be approved by Ministry of Interior.”

Finance Division is of view that matter will be considered after interior ministry, CDA and MCI divide their directorates, assets, says letter

However, the ministry responded: “The claim of MCI is not correct. As per section 77….of Local Government Act 2015, the powers to issue schedule of establishment for the MCI is Government not the MCI, House.”

Speaking to Dawn, the mayor on Monday said the issue of assets distribution between the CDA and MCI had been decided in 2017 by the interior ministry but so far the latter had failed to implement its own decision of assets division.

“In response to the letter, we will inform the ministry to resolve our issues in the light of the decision taken by transition officer,” said the mayor.

The ministry’s letter dated March 17 stated:“The ministry of interior has already taken up the case for schedule of establishment and delegation of financial (powers) rules with the Finance Division many times but the latter has not agreed with the proposal of MOI/MCI and advised that it can be considered after MOI-CDA-MCI clearly divide their directorates, job assignment, manpower, assets and liabilities in writing.”

It said rules of business of the MCI were examined in the ministry and MCI advised to re-examine the same in the light of provisions contained in ICT Local Government Act 2015 followed by reminders but MCI is still sending the same rules of business without revising the same.

“Therefore, in order to resolve the issue, the MOI has constituted a committee comprising officers of MOI, MCI and ICT to finalise the schedule of establishment and rules,” said the letter.

The ministry in the letter also rejected the claims of MCI that CDA illegally had been collecting property tax, conservancy charges and building fees.

“The observation of the MCI that CDA is illegally collecting the property tax, conservancy charges and building fee since 2016 is not based on facts. Although the ICT Local Government Act 2015 envisages the collection of taxes by MCI but the financial setup of MCI is not in place as well as a cost centre is also not available enabling them to collect the public money. Therefore, in the light of section 129 of Local Government Act, CDA is collecting all the due taxes.”

In his letter, the mayor had also pointed out that three departments of ICT administration - Local Government and Rural Development, Civil Defence Department and Public Health Department - had not yet been transferred to MCI in spite of notification issued by the interior ministry in 2017 and deputy commissioner was still performing duties as the director local government and rural development.

The ministry of interior responded that through a notification dated Jan 6, 2017, it had transferred the three departments to the MCI from ICT.

“As ministry of interior has divided all rights, assets and liabilities relating to the offices of CDA, MCI and ICT, and the above said departments are not transferred to MCI by ICT, the MCI may move the case to ICT Local Government Commission being mandated of it to resolve the issues and disputes as per section 96(1) of ICT Local Government Act,” said the ministry.

Published in Dawn, April 28th, 2020