CDA asks FIA to restrain its employees traveling abroad without NOC

ISLAMABAD: Already on the hit list of National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and Supreme Court (SC), Capital Development Authority (CDA) has decided to tighten the noose around its officers and employees who have been travelling abroad without obtaining a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the civic agency by making it a mandatory requirement.

In a letter written to former FIA additional director general by CDA Human Resource Directorate (HRD) Deputy Director Yasir Latif Gill the latter has asked that FIA restrain civic body’s employees from going abroad without a NOC.

On the directions of Member Administration Muhammad Yasir Peerzada, the HRD deputy director in his letter of which a copy is available with Pakistan Today, wrote that it has come to the CDA’s notice that many of its officers and staff have been visiting foreign countries without obtaining a valid NOC.

These officers and staff ‘have not even been asked by the FIA or immigration authorities to produce a NOC before their departure’ the letter reads adding that the FIA should pass appropriate directions to all airports and departure points as to not allow any civic agency’s officer or staff to exit the country without providing a NOC issued by the HRD.

It is pertinent to mention here that Member Administration Yasir Peerzada took a strict notice of foreign trips made by CDA employees without obtaining a NOC.

At present, the capital’s foremost civic agency is embroiled in multiple land scams, scandals related to land affectees and allottees, investigations into its land and estate directorates and multiple ongoing investigations.

Last week, a day after the inauguration of Metropolitan Club in F-9 park by Islamabad Mayor Sheikh Anser Aziz, NAB Chairman Justice (r) Javed Iqbal has taken notice and directed Rawalpindi NAB Director General Irfan Mangi to initiate an inquiry into a 1.9 billion rupees project.

A day after the investigation began, Sheikh Anser Aziz left Pakistan and is presently out of the country.

Amidst all this, Yasir Peerzada’s decision to restraint its staff and employees aims to come clean in front of accountability watchdogs and give an impression that CDA is actually trying to take steps to rein in its employees.

When contacted for a comment, CDA Spokesperson Malik Salim said that his organisation has been getting information for quite some time that many of its officials have been violating the rules and regulations.

“Now the member administration has decided to take a strict action against these culprits and CDA will make sure that its employees follow the rules and regulations in letter and spirit,” he ensured.