The Cabinet Division is preparing a proposal to reorganise the board of Capital Development Authority (CDA), on the suggestions of parliamentarians for greater transparency. Additional Secretary Cabinet Division Shahidullah Baig informed members of the Sub-Committee of the Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat on Wednesday.
The meeting was presided over by Malik Nawab Sher Waseer convenor of the committee. The meeting was also attended by MNA Hameedullah Jan Afridi, Dr Mahreen Razaque Bhutto, CDA chairman Farkhand Iqbal and other senior officials. Shahidullah said that the Cabinet Division was vigorously working on a proposal regarding amendment in CDA's ordinance to constitute a transparent board of CDA. He not only endorsed the suggestion for reorganising the CDA board, but also called for discouraging the trend of allocating plots to officers who were transferred to CDA on deputation. "Most officers get themselves transferred to CDA to own plots in Islamabad in the quickest possible way," Baig said.
Convenor of the committee Nawab Sher Waseer asked the additional secretary of the cabinet to submit the proposal for reorganising the CDA board in the next meeting. CDA chairman Farkhand Iqbal also endorsed the suggestion of parliamentarians and proposed to constitute a simple, transparent autonomous CDA's board and its members do not get salary from the government exchequer.
Farkhand Iqbal said that over the past seven months, CDA started work on several projects despite huge pressure from different circles. "I need security but some people have withdrawn my security to restrict me to my office and home to compel me not to execute various projects which do not serve interests of various influential people," he said.
Hameed Ullah Jan Afridi, said that parliamentarians have suggested reorganisation of CDA board in a good faith. "The inclusion of members in the CDA board from other departments will solve all issues relating to transparency and growing corruption in the authority", he said.
The CDA official briefed the Committee regarding the structure of its Board and stated that it exercises its powers in accordance with the Section 6 of the CDA Ordinance 1960 which explains that the Board shall consist of not less than three members to be appointed by the central government. He informed that the Board consists of Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Financial Adviser. The existing board was made up of Chairman CDA, Member (Finance), Member (Administration), Member (Planning and Design), Member (Estate), Member (Engineering), Member (Environment), Chief Commissioner, Islamabad and Chief Commissioner, Rawalpindi.
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