ISLAMABAD: Capital Development Authority (CDA) Chairman Maroof Afzal on Thursday revealed that the civic agency had allotted a 10-kanal plot in Sector H-8 - in relaxation of the rules - to a charity organisation, the Pakistan Foreign Office Women Association (PFOWA).

But instead of starting charity work under a joint venture, the NGO handed over the prime real estate to Roots International Schools.

Briefing the Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat, which met with Senator Talha Mehmood in the chair, the CDA chief said as per rules, no plots were allotted to NGOs. However, the rules were relaxed to give this particular plot to PFOWA many years ago.

He said that in 2014, on orders from the Prime Minister’s Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the CDA allowed the charity organisation to establish a school on the plot under a joint venture.

PFOWA is a registered welfare and charity organisation run by spouses of foreign service officers.

Islamabad Club admin refuses to brief committee

Committee members said PFOWA obtained the plot for charity purposes, but later struck a deal with Roots International.

“In 1995, CDA had leased out the plot for charity work, but in 2014 the civic agency allowed the establishment of a commercial school for personal gain. This matter should be referred to the FIA and NAB,” said Senator Kamil Ali Agha.

Interestingly, under the lease agreement, the NGO was supposed to complete the construction work on the plot by 2009, but it could not do so.

“It’s a scam, because the plot was meant for charity work as the CDA allotted it against a token price, but now influential people are going to start a commercial venture there,” said Senator Yousuf Badini.

When the committee members asked the CDA chairman if he had imposed a fine on the NGO for failing to construct a building in the stipulated time, he said: “So far, no recovery has been made.” The committee asked the chairman to explain under what rules had the NGO made the joint venture with Roots International.

“Mr chairman, did you verify the documents of the joint venture before granting the permission,” asked Senator Kamil Ali Agha. Senator Mir Yousuf Badini also asked a similar question. However, the CDA chairman could not come up with a satisfactory answer.

“The wives of influential people are involved in this scam,” said Senator Najma Hameed.

The committee then directed the CDA chief to furnish the details of the case in a week. The members said the plot’s allotment should be cancelled immediately and the matter should be referred to FIA and NAB.

The committee chairman decided that the matter would be taken up again in the next meeting. “In the next meeting, we will give our recommendations and let the chairman come up with further details,” said Talha Mahmood.

Islamabad Club

Also on Thursday, the administration of the Islamabad Club refused to brief the committee on the working and performance of the club, its facilities, procedure for awarding membership and sources of income etc.

Through a letter, the secretary of the club told the committee that the club was neither a government-run organisation, nor did it receive funds from the government.

He said an administrator appointed by the President of Pakistan looked after the affairs of the club. Currently, Establishment Secretary Nadeem Hassan Asif is the administrator, the letter added.

The committee took exception to the refusal of the club administration to give a briefing. “It’s a big joke. The President of Pakistan appoints the administrator of the club on the basis of a summary moved by the Capital Administration and Development Division. But the administration is saying that the club does not fall under the preview of the government,” said Senator Yousuf Badini.

“If heads of armed forces are answerable to parliament why can’t we look into the affairs of Islamabad Club,” asked Senator Kalsoom Parveen. She said this elite club gives membership to bureaucrats for only Rs300,000, but charges other citizens Rs1.5 million.

Senator Talha Mehmood said there were a lot of issues in the club which should be discussed. He said the matter should be referred to the FIA. The committee members also decided to take up the issue with the Senate chairman.

Published in Dawn, January 8th, 2016