ISLAMABAD, Nov 21: Despite the efforts by people and authorities outside to cleanse it, abuse of power seems to persist in the Capital Development Authority (CDA).

Dawn has documents that show the new management, brought in by the federal government last month to improve the working and image of CDA, have taken up the task in a questionable way.

On November 8, the new CDA chairman gave the acting charge of the Deputy Director General Planning to Director Khaliq-ur-Rehman who was not only junior on the seniority list but also an OSD for the last six months on the charge of ‘misconduct'.And the officer senior to him, Director Ashiq Ali Ghori of the planning wing, was made OSD without issuing the usual ‘show cause’ notice to him.

OSD, or officer on special duty, is the term used for officers sidelined for some fault after serving a show cause notice.

A CDA officer, requesting anonymity, said that Mr Ghori was away performing Haj, with the approval of management, and could not be made OSD without any reason.

Section 4.33 of Service Regulation Rules of CDA clearly says that current charge of the seat can only be given to the senior most officer, he added.

Only last week the Supreme Court had said that without compelling reason, no one can be suspended.

Another officer of the planning wing tellingly observed that “anyone appointed in violation of rules feels he has the mandate to violate the rules”.

And so happened with the out-of-turn appointee Mr Khalil-ur-Rehman. Four days after being installed Acting Deputy Director General Planning, he issued office notification No CDA/PLW-Admin-3(2)2009/517, giving the charge of Project Director Zone-4 to Mr Mohammad Qasim, who is actually a Deputy Director.

“Section 4.32 of Service Regulation Rules of CDA says the power to appoint Project Director lies with the Chairman CDA. So the notification can not be issued by a DDG,” an officer said.

In 2010 too these rules were violated when the Deputy Director General, Building Control Section, was removed and an officer who had nothing to do with building control was appointed.

“That should not be taken as a precedent, but as something that brings disrepute to the civic body,” he said.

Former General Secretary of District Bar Association, Riasat Ali Azad said that affected officers can go to court as departmental heads cannot break/violate the rules.

However, Chairman CDA Syed Tahir Shahbaz said that it was the right of the management to appoint anyone as DDG Planning.

“In my opinion, seniority should only be considered at the time of promotion. Posting should be done on the basis of efficiency and trust level of the management. And that is why the charge of DDG was given to Khaliq-ur-Rehman,” he told Dawn.