Owing to the negligence of the Capital Development Authority (CDA), the building of Environment Ministry, which was set on fire by miscreants in 2007 amid the Red Mosque Operation, still awaits renovation.
The building has been abandoned ever since the fire/arson incident but one cannot overlook the apathy of the CDA because its official never bothered to visit the building even for a survey for its renovation.
The ministry’s building, which was renovated on modern lines by Musharraf regime, keeping in view the significance of fast environmental changes taking place around the globe, was partially destroyed in 2007.
The building originally owned by the CDA, had been in Environment Ministry’s use in 2007. It is situated in Sector G/6 opposite Lal Masjid (Red Mosque).
Several studies have been launched on environment issues since 2007. However, the government is not paying any heed towards renovation of the gutted building which has now become a den of violators of the law. Pakistan Today through a survey learnt on Saturday that dozens of government offices are operating in private buildings against hefty rents being paid from the government’s exchequer while they could be accommodated in the building gutted in the 2007 fire.
It was learnt that the offices of IGP Motorway, FIA Building at Iqbal Town, Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Information Technology, the Ministry of Narcotic Force, the District Courts Islamabad, the Office of Chief Commissioner, the SSP Islamabad Office and the Office of Deputy Commissioner are among those offices which are operating in rented buildings.
Sources privy to the matter told this scribe that three to four small size ministries could easily be accommodated within the gutted building, which is currently presenting the look of a ghost house.
Although the front gate of the building is locked one can see the courtyard which is now filled with wild shrubs and abandoned trees. This speaks volumes about the performance of the Capital Development Authority (CDA).
It is relevant to mention that recently there has been a row between devolved the Ministry of Social Welfare and National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and it surfaced when the ministry refused to vacate building allotted to NAB Rawlapindi office, which in turn is being housed in the boys’ hostel of Rawalpindi Medical College.
It may be recalled that after the devolution of Ministry of Social Welfare to provinces under the 18th Amendment, the federal government allotted the building of Al-Farabi Centre along with hostels and allied accommodation occupied by defunct Ministry of Social Welfare and Special Education, in G/8/4, to NAB Rawalpindi, but the ministry refused to hand over building to the NAB.
Arhad Haleem, a resident of G/6, said that the renovation work would not only help the government to get rid of the payments it is paying as rent for its other offices but also help it to devise a foolproof security for the ministerial offices situated in a close proximity.
“This building is a national asset and the government must act and renovate it. Since this building was destroyed during Red Mosque Operation, it should be renovated otherwise it would keep reminding the Islooites about the haunting memories of the Red Mosque Operation,” said Sana Khan, Secretary General of Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) Pakistan. Despite several attempts, the CDA could not be contacted by this scribe.
