Parliament's authority: Senate body takes notice of Secretary Islamabad Club's letter

A Senate body took notice of a letter issued by the Islamabad Club, challenging the authority of the Parliament, and directed Capital Development Authority (CDA) to provide details regarding allotment of a controversial plot comprising 10 kanals within a week to the committee. The meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat was held here with Senator Mohammad Talha Mahmood in the chair at Parliament's House to take stock of performance of the Islamabad Club and the sources of income as well as budgetary provision of the club.
The committee also reviewed the allotment of a 10 kanal plot of Pakistan Foreign Office Women Association, which was given to Roots Millennium School. Additional Secretary Capital Administration and Development Division (CA&AD) told the committee members that the letter issued by the Secretary Islamabad Club conveyed that Islamabad Club was not a government organisation that receives funds from the government, adding that all costs were met from self-generated revenues.
The letter further stated that an honorary administrator selected by the President of Pakistan holds administrative responsibilities; however administrator's responsibilities are under the Secretary Establishment Division. The committee members expressed surprise over the content of letter, saying that even after the government's involvement, it is not a government's authority.
The committee observed that the bureaucracy did not want to be interfered and suggested transferring the matter to the privileged committee. Member Committee Senator Kalsoom Perveen raised the matter of huge difference in the membership fees for bureaucrats and other people. She said the fee for bureaucrats is Rs three lakh and for the general public it is Rs 15 lakh.
The Committee chairman observed that the letter had challenged the authority of the Parliament. After evaluating the issue, he said that the case would be referred to Director General Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), who would give a weekly report on the matter. He said that Islamabad Club had a number of issues that needed to be addressed. He said the Secretary Establishment was responsible, as without his consent the Secretary Islamabad Club cannot write such letters. Chairman of the Committee said he would talk to Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani regarding the issue.
The Committee also took notice of the issue being raised in a private TV programme regarding Pakistan Foreign Office Women Association's plot of 10 kanals, which was given to Roots Millennium School on lease. Senator Rahila Magsi said that her name had been misused in this regard.
Another member of the committee Senator Kamil Ali Agha recommended that action should be taken against a TV channel for manipulating the matter without any evidence after getting feedback from the Law Ministry that what measures can be taken in this regard. Chairman Capital Development Authority (CDA) Maroof Afzal while explaining the matter said that according to the rules of relaxation, plots can be transferred to non-governmental organisations (NGO). In 1995, an NGO was given an offer letter in which plot cost was mentioned as 1.13 crore, in which one crore grant was approved by Prime Minister, he pointed out. However, NGO couldn't pay the remaining amount on time and during 1997 the offer was withdrawn.
He told that Foreign Office again raised the matter in 2003 and CDA re-evaluated the price of the plot at 2.44 crore in 2005. The Foreign Office wrote a letter to the then PM in 2005 and as a result PM secretariat issued directions to CDA to fix the plot rate on old rates.
Chairman CDA informed the committee members that the plot was given on lease to NRSP on the request of relevant NGO in 2009. Senator Mir Mohammad Yousuf Badini said that an NGO was given the plot for welfare purposes but it was not being used for the purposes. The committee directed the CDA to provide further details on this matter within a week.