ISLAMABAD: The city managers on Wednesday decided to approach the federal cabinet over the issue of privatisation of Jinnah Convention Centre (JCC).

Talking to Dawn, a member of the board of Capital Development Authority (CDA) said: “CDA will request the federal cabinet for an audience to two board members, architects Nayyar Ali Dada and Ali Asghar to present their view point and concerns regarding the JCC proposed privatisation.”

The board members of CDA decided this during a meeting held with chairman CDA in the chair.

The board members said the civic agency had no objection to the concept of privatisation of the JCC as CDA had already issued no objection certificates (NOCs) last year in this regard.

Civic body says once privatised, the centre will increase load on adjoining roads, other services

However, sources said board members were of the view that before privatising the building, the Ministry of Privatisation is supposed to provide study reports regarding availability of water, electricity from a grid, a solid waste management plan, traffic impact study and a report on sewage treatment plant (STP).

Once the JCC is privatised or auctioned, there will be a massive load on adjoining roads and other services, therefore, steps should be taken to avoid problems in the future, they said, adding earlier, the complex was being used for conferences and functions but when it will be privatised, the huge area, which is currently lying open, will be used by a successful bidder, thus, the load on services and roads is bound to increase.

Board members decided to approach the federal cabinet asking for an audience to two its members on the issue, before the CDA issues a revised allotment letter, converting major portion of amenities areas into commercial, as decided by the federal government.

The CDA and Ministry of Privatisation remained at loggerheads over the issue of JCC privatisation. CDA had been stating that it had no objection to the privatisation of JCC, but it could not move forward in this regard before getting study reports from the Privatisation Commission.

On the other hand, the commission stated that the transaction of JCC was put on hold after the CDA changed its stance.

Through a letter, CDA’s Member Estate Naveed Illahi in November last year told the Ministry of Interior that the civic agency 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 federal cabinet as deemed suitable for appropriate intervention in the matter,” read the letter.

“It is submitted that CDA Board has no objections to revision of master plan of the area [JCC] but had requested that before issuing a revised allotment letter, Ministry of Privatisation may share the following information which should have been developed by the consultants prior to proposing changes in the land use and master plan of the area,” the letter stated, adding a report on the availability of water, solid waste management plan, electricity and power supply from grid, traffic impact and sewage treatment plant (STP) are required by the Ministry of Privatisation before issuing the revised allotment letter.

The letter further said: “CDA has not objected to the privatisation of JCC and CDA Board (in last year’s meeting) has merely advised on the mode of transfer of properties being implemented in Islamabad.”

Published in Dawn, February 17th, 2022