ISLAMABAD: Both the key positions in the Capital Development Authority (CDA) - member planning and member estate - are lying vacant for the last over two weeks, delaying policy-related decisions.

The positions are considered backbone of the civic agency as without these members, policy level decisions cannot be taken.

The CDA has five posts of regular members - planning, estate, finance, engineering and administration.

The post of member planning fell vacant in January 2021 when Dr Shahid Mahmood retired after reaching the age of superannuation.

Officer heading planning, estate wings went on leave last month and was later transferred to FBR

However, after his retirement, Member Estate Naveed Ilahi was given the additional charge. Until last month when he left for the USA on leave, Mr Ilahi looked after the affairs of both the estate and planning wings. After his departure, the two wings are without heads. Mr Ilahi belongs to the Customs Service and was posted to the CDA a couple of years ago.

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on September 2 issued transfer/posting orders of 45 officers, including Mr Ilahi, who was made the chief of export and exemptions at the FBR headquarters. This shows that he is no longer part of the CDA.

Meanwhile, both offices are facing delays in several policy level decisions. The member estate office is responsible to take policy decisions regarding commercial and residential plots and buildings.

Several important decisions are yet to be made by this wing such as resolving issues of land affectees (whose land had been acquired by CDA and who are supposed to get plots from the civic agency), subdivision of plots, holding next auctions of plots, pending lease issues of CDA’s property etc. Even recently, the Islamabad High Court directed CDA Chairman retired Capt Mohammad Usman to appear in person before the court on September 16 regarding a case filed by the affected people.

CDA officials said new members should be appointed as soon as possible and in the meanwhile the look-after charge should be given to any senior officer.

“Keeping the office of member estate closed makes no sense; at least someone should be given the charge on a temporary basis,” said an official.

Similarly, the planning wing, which is considered as the engine of CDA, is also with its member and several essential functions such as the regulation of housing societies, planning of new sectors and implementation of the master plan are currently on hold or proceeding at a snail’s pace.

Officials told Dawn that ideally an officer with planning background should be appointed as the member. They said the city was in the grip of serious challenges such as revision of the master plan, resolving issue of unauthorised construction and only a senior and qualified town planner could find out solutions to them.

“This seat should be filled by the federal government with a qualified town planner and to run the official business smoothly, one of the senior town planners of CDA should be given the temporary charge,” said an official.

When contacted, CDA Chairman Mohammad Usman told Dawn that the vacant positions would be filled very soon.

Published in Dawn, September 6th, 2022