National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Cabinet on Tuesday directed Capital Development Authority to strengthen its enforcement mechanism to address illegal construction and land grabbing in Islamabad.
In a meeting held in Parliament House under the chairmanship of MNA Rana Muhammad Hayat Khan, the committee discussed the cases of embezzlement and misuse of authority by employees of CDA being inquired by National Accountability Bureau and Federal Investigation Agency. The committee observed that the inquiries should be expedited and cases in courts should be actively pursued. The committee further observed that land grabbing and illegal construction in Islamabad was rampant causing loss to the national exchequer besides being a public nuisance. The committee attributed all such illegal activities to the connivance of CDA employees. The chairman directed CDA to immediately take necessary steps to strengthen its enforcement mechanism and take legal action against all employees who are found involved in those activities.
The committee directed the CDA to expedite ongoing departmental inquiries so that all those responsible for causing loss to the national exchequer could be booked. The committee also directed to check unauthorised use of residential property for commercial purposes. The committee observed that delay in action against illegal constructions and land grabbing encouraged such activities.
Responding to the observations of the committee, the CDA chairman admitted that some CDA employees had been found to be involved in patronising land grabbing and illegal construction in the past. However, presently a zero tolerance policy towards corruption had been adopted and instant action was initiated against corrupt officials. He assured the committee that all ongoing departmental inquiries against its employees would be expedited and penalties awarded in order to create deterrence besides referring cases to FIA and NAB wherever financial embezzlement was found. He further informed the committee that land grabbing and illegal construction mainly went on in un-acquired sectors in Islamabad. The committee also directed CDA to initiate development work at Sector I-11 without further delay. The CDA chairman assured the committee that contract in that regard would be awarded within a week.
Discussing the contract award of plot for Grand Hayyat Hotel, the committee directed the CDA Board to review its earlier decision and rescind the illegal agreement with the developer, besides fix responsibility against all those involved in the deal and report back to the committee within three months. The committee opined that the national exchequer had sustained substantial loss due to illogical and imprudent decisions of the CDA Board giving undue concessions to land developers. The chairman said that the CDA Board should avoid taking such decisions in future which were contrary to the public interest. The committee also directed for removing all those legal counsels from its panel who had failed to actively plead the CDA cases in courts of law.
The meeting was attended by Minister of State for CA&DD Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, MNAs Malik Ibrar Ahmad, Syed Javed Ali Shah, Sardar Muhammad Irfan Dogar, Parveen Masood Bhatti, Nighat Parveen Mir, Shahnaz Saleem, Farhana Qamar, Dr Mahreen Razzak Bhutto, Asad Umar, Nafeesa Inayatullah Khattak, Muhammad Rehan Hashmi, Ministry of CA&DD secretary, CDA chairman and officers of NAB and FIA.
