ISLAMABAD: Finance, land and environment form the central pillars of any functional development agency, but all these three wings of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) have been without heads for months.

The three key departments are being run through temporary arrangements, creating doubts on the transparency of the affairs of the civic agency.

Sources in the CDA told Dawn that the key posts were being kept vacant intentionally by influential people eying the capital’s costly land as scores of corruption cases involving the wings were currently being investigated by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

The delay in the appointment of the permanent members estate and land, finance and environment has already raised eyebrows.

The CDA Board comprises the chairman and six members (officers of grade 20) - member finance and accounts, member administration, member planning and design, member engineering, member environment and member estate and land.

The federal government, through the establishment division, appoints the members of the CDA Board, the decision-making body. But out of the six key posts, three are vacant and the wings are being run on an ad hoc basis.

Speaking to Dawn, the minister of state for CADD, Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, said efforts were being made to appoint the permanent members. “I do agree, some important positions are lying vacant but let me make it clear that we are going to fill these positions soon,” he said.

Key posts of members for finance, estate & land, environment vacant for over a year

When asked how without appointing eligible officers, the working of the CDA could be improved, he said: “Of course, the positions of members are highly important, a qualified person can properly run the office but as I said there will be no further delay.”

It is also strange that the important position of the member estate and land, who deals with the allotment of commercial and residential plots, is being run by a junior officer for more than a year.

Currently, Abdul Salam Shah, a grade-18 officer working in the CDA on deputation as the deputy director general, is running the office. A number of corruption cases involving the department are being investigated by NAB and the FIA.

When contacted, Mr Shah said he had been given the post by CDA Chairman Maroof Afzal. “Under the law, the chairman can delegate the powers of the member to any junior officer. But I have no role in the board meetings,” he said.

This directorate is also considered a goldmine for property dealers, who in connivance with the CDA officials purchase land claims (files) from the affected people (whose land have been acquired by the CDA in return for alternative plots) against nominal charges and later get the plots in different sectors and earn millions of rupees by selling them.

Changing the location of a plot from one place to another through the officials concerned is also considered a big business by property dealers.

Perturbed over the growing complaints of corruption from various quarters, the member administration, Amir Ali Ahmed, a few months ago directed the deputy commissioner CDA to take action against tout mafia/property dealers and ensure that no irrelevant person was present in and around the land directorate. However, the directive brought no change.

The post of the member finance, who also acts as the financial adviser to the CDA, is also vacant for over a year. The major function of the member finance is to make budget and keep an eye on financial matters of the authority. But currently Member Planning Waseem Ahmed Khan, who is a town planner and according to sources does not have the required qualifications and experience, is occupying the post.

Meanwhile, the environment directorate, whose major functions include protection, conservation and management of the city besides working for the protection and conservation of forests, development and management of parks, is being looked after by Director General Water Sanaullah Aman (BPS-20).

Instead of appointing him or any other officer through the federal government, the CDA chairman has given him the temporary charge.

The director general works, Asad Mehbood Kiani, has been given the additional charge of the DG design though sources said he also did not possess the required qualifications.

The planning wing is also facing an acute shortage of required staff, as currently all the five directorates of the wing are being run by deputy directors.

When contacted, Secretary CADD Hasan Iqbal said: “We have forwarded requisitions for the appointment of the required members CDA to the establishment division. We are hopeful that the required officers will be appointed soon.”

Published in Dawn, May 2nd, 2016