Deputy Speaker of National Assembly (NA) Murtaza Javed Abbasi has expressed displeasure over poor performance of Capital Development Authority (CDA) staff deputed at Parliament Lodges. He said that the CDA staff deputed at parliament lodges often remained absent from their duties and directed CDA to install biometric attendance system at parliament lodges to ensure the attendance of the staff. He also expressed annoyance over non- implementation of the decisions taken by the house and library committee and directed chairman CDA to take personal interest in implementation of decision of the committee.
He stated this while chairing a meeting of the National Assembly House and library committee held in parliament house on Wednesday. The meeting was attended by MNAs Malik Ibrar Ahmed Dr.Mehreen Razzaq Bhutto Mrs. Shahida Rehmani, Moulana Qamar ur Din and Mehboob Alam.
Referring to the under-construction additional family suites and servant quarters for the parliamentarians and their staff, Murtaza Javed Abbasi said that even after the poor performance of the contractor was repeatedly brought into CDA notice and after directions were conveyed for getting the family suite completed without further delay, however, still the construction work was far behind the schedule. He said that the delay in completion of the family suites, parliamentarians were facing problems that had not been provided accommodation in the parliament lodges.
He observed that the project was supposed to be completed in 2013. However only 27% work has been done so far. He said that no further delay in revised scheduled of construction will be tolerated and directed CDA to declare construction firm black listed if it failed to complete the work within the given time. The chairman CDA assured the committee that he will personally monitor the pace of work on project and all possible measures will be taken to complete the project as soon as possible. The committee directed the chairman to submit detailed progress report about the construction work by next Monday.
The committee also directed CDA to reduce its administrative expenditure as major chunk of the budgetary allocation is being spent on the pay and allowances of the staff deputed at Parliament Lodges. The committee was of the view that unnecessary staff deputed at parliament lodges should be transferred to some other place.
The committee also expressed its concern over the security arrangements at parliament lodges and directed to beef up the security at parliament lodges and MNA Hostel. The committee also directed the CDA to remove the encroachments by management of Serena Hotel on MNA Hostel site as well as on parking site as these are security threat and Special Branch Islamabad Police has brought it in to the notice of the committee many times.
The deputy speaker expressed his displeasure over the absence of chief commissioner, ICT in committee meeting without any intimation and directed to ensure his presence in the next meeting of the Committee. He also directed to the president FECHS to ensure handing over the possession of the plots to the members of the National Assembly Employees Cooperative Housing Society (NAECHS) as per commitment.