26 February 2004	Thursday	05 Muharram 1425

ISLAMABAD, Feb 25: A surplus pool has been established in the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to make way for appointment of outsiders on key posts, a source in the CDA told Dawn on Wednesday.

The source said some 20 officials of the District Management Group (DMG), who had been in search of better posts since the wrapping up of district administrations in the country, were being inducted into the CDA.

Some six officials of the DMG have recently been appointed in the CDA, out of whom two were given technical jobs, the source added. "The CDA requires qualified engineers, town planners and architects to give a new look to the capital, while the DMG officials could only deal with the administrative matters," he added.

The source said the CDA staff, who would be replaced by the DMG officials, would be sent to the surplus pool which would be an extra burden on the CDA, because they would continue to get salaries and other perks and privileges.

A senior official of the CDA said surplus pools were created in those departments where posts were abolished and the surplus staff sent to the pool. But the CDA has created the surplus pool without abolishing any posts. "The surplus pool would be a 'hanging sword' over the CDA officials, under which they could be kept under pressure," the official said.