ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday called for protecting green areas of Islamabad and directed the Capital Development Authority to complete the new building bylaws soon.

He was chairing a meeting with the proposed new members of the commission, which is supposed to carry out revision of the Islamabad master plan. He said that revision of the master plan should be made in accordance with the present day needs. He said that increase in population and protection of green areas should be kept in view while revising the master plan.

The meeting noted that unauthorised constructions and unplanned growth of the city had been creating environmental and administrative issues.

Wants revision of master plan in line with present day needs

“In past, growth of population, unplanned growth of city and administrative issues remained neglected, which resulted in the mushroom growth of unplanned buildings and reduction of green areas,” according to an official handout issued by the PM office after the meeting.

The handout quoted the prime minister as saying that climate change and environment were major issues of the country, which needed attention of the government. The participants were told that steps were being taken to provide better housing facilities to the slum dwellers of Islamabad.

CDA Chairman Amer Ali Ahmed briefed the prime minister about the progress made by the commission so far.

A few days ago, the federal government had decided to extend deadline for the commission formed in December last for revising the master plan. The 12-member commission had prepared a 270-page report, which is currently being consolidated.

A few days ago, CDA and the ministry of interior in a summary had proposed changes in the commission, proposing deletion of four names of experts and addition of nine new names.

However, the federal cabinet in its last meeting did not decide fate of the said summary as the prime minister had decided that before giving approval to the summary he wanted to hold a meeting with the new members proposed for the commission.

The Friday’s meeting was held in line with the said decision of the premier. In the said summary, the CDA wanted that names of Syed Ayub Qutab, Javed Ali Khan, Jehangir Khan Sherpao and Abdul Haleem Paracha should be removed. It had also suggested addition of new members such as renowned architect Nayyar Ali Dada, Ali Asghar Khan, Aziz Aslam, Khurram Fareed Bargatt, Nayyab Hassan Gardazi (lawyer), environmentalist Humaira Qasim Khan, Asma Khalil, Naveed Aslam and Salman Mansoor.

The prime minister held the meeting with the newly-proposed members and now in the upcoming cabinet meeting a decision would be about them.

The commission, which was formed in December last year, was supposed to complete the task of first-ever revision of the master plan within six months by July 13 deadline. Sources said that the commission completed its report within deadline, highlighting the major issues. Meanwhile, it was decided that a consultant would be hired to complete the studies in the light of commission’s findings. However, the consultant is yet to be hired.

Published in Dawn, August 3rd, 2019