ISLAMABAD: The city managers have decided to invite officials of the Privatisation Commission to its upcoming board meeting to be held this week to discuss issues related to Jinnah Convention Centre.

Recently, the CDA stated that it had no objection to the privatisation of Jinnah Convention Centre (JCC) but was waiting for study reports which were to be submitted by the Ministry of Privatisation before getting a revised allotment letter.

On the other hand, the Privatisation Commission said the transaction of JCC was put on hold after the CDA changed its stance as earlier it had issued a no-objection certificate (NOC) and later demanded study reports.

The JCC is located at one end of the Constitution Avenue and is used as a venue for exhibitions and summits by private and public sector organisations.

Civic agency recently was informed that federal cabinet has already approved privatisation of building

Through a letter, CDA Member Estate Naveed Illahi a few weeks ago told the Ministry of Interior that the civic agency had never opposed the privatisation of JCC rather it had asked the Ministry of Privatisation to provide study reports regarding availability of water, electricity from a grid, a solid waste management plan, traffic impact study and report on sewage treatment plant (STP).

“In case, no study was conducted in this regard, the matter may kindly be brought into the notice of the prime minister or the federal cabinet as deemed suitable for appropriate intervention in the matter,” read the letter.

Sources said a few days ago the Privatisation Commission through a letter informed the CDA that the federal cabinet had already approved the privatisation of the JCC; therefore, the CDA board should not raise objections.

To this, the sources said, the CDA decided to invite to the Privatisation Commission and Ministry of Privatisation to attend the upcoming board meeting to share their point of views.

“Yes, we have decided to write to officials of Privatisation Commission and the ministry to attend our board meeting when it will discuss issues related to JCC,” said a board member of the CDA.

The CDA board in July had decided that reports on the availability of water, solid waste management plan, electricity and power supply from a grid, traffic impact and sewage treatment plant (STP) were required by the Ministry of Privatisation before the latter gets a revised allotment letter of the JCC.

It said it had been suggested that the 3.4 acres originally allocated for parking may be reconsidered as an amenity area in order to avoid any legal complications.

The CDA’s letter said: “It is submitted that CDA has not stopped the revision of allotment letter as the decision of federal cabinet is final for the CDA as well as Privatisation Commission,” the letter said.

An official of the CDA said the civic agency had no objection to privatisation of JCC but it will have to see impact on roads and load on other services after privatisation of the JCC.

Last month, the Senate Standing Committee on Privatisation was informed that the transaction of JCC had been put on hold after the CDA “changed its stance regarding the facility.”

The committee was told that the CDA objected to JCC’s sale on the plea that it could not be converted from an amenity to commercial as per the regulations. The objection from the CDA came at a time when the Privatisation Commission (PC) was close to completing the JCC’s transaction.

The Senate body asked the standing committee on interior to deliberate on the issue since the CDA comes under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Interior.

Published in Dawn, November 22nd, 2021