CADD minister triumphs over divided CDA

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  • Former chairman Maroof Afzal was ill at ease and cornered by both MCI and CADD for couple of months

 

After much speculation and rumours, the notification pertaining to transfer of Capital Development Authority Chairman Maroof Afzal was issued on August 22.

According to sources, a BS-21 bureaucrat hailing from Pakistan Administrative Services of Pakistan Maroof Afzal was sent packing after he locked horns with Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) Minister Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhary.

The tensions between CADD minister and former CDA chairman started after former took charge of the office in November, 2015. The wrangle for power began immediately after the control of CDA was given under CADD.

Initially, CDA Chairman Afzal took a month’s leave and applied for another two months’ leave after coming back. He was transferred and posted as additional secretary of Establishment Division. CADD Secretary Hassan Iqbal has been given additional charge for a period of three months with immediate effect.

“The CDA chairman was sandwiched between two giants, CADD and Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI) – both vying for power over capital. During his tenure, the chairman did not quite succeed in rooting out alleged rampant corruption in various departments, especially Building Control Section and Enforcement, the slow pace in development of new sectors coupled with land scams that surfaced and recent closure of Safa Gold Mall and Grand Hyatt Hotel proved too much for him to handle,” a CDA official said.

Presently, MCI and CDA are undergoing a phase of transition with as many as 23 directorates fully transferred to MCI and further 26 functions will be shared by both civic agencies.