ISLAMABAD: Three officials of the Directorate of Municipal Administration (DMA) have been suspended for allegedly demanding bribes and harassing the owner of an international food outlet, which operates in Beverly Centre along Jinnah Avenue, sources said.

The matter was highlighted by a Pakistani journalist associated with Turkish media on social media.

To this, Chief Commissioner and CDA Chairman retired Capt Anwarul Haq took notice and ordered a probe into the matter. He also met with the owner of the restaurant to get information.

Sources said the owner told Mr Haq that some officials had been demanding around Rs600,000 from him without providing any receipt, and they had threatened him with “action” if the amount was not given to them.

The CDA chief, after getting input from the owner, got the three concerned officials suspended from the DMA.

“It is to inform that such practices have zero tolerance within the CDA. Chairman CDA has himself intervened in this matter and has met the restaurant owner and assured investigation into this on priority. Chairman CDA has suspended officials involved,” read a statement from the civic body posted on X.

According to a notification issued by the Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI), as DMA falls under its administrative control, three officials — sub-assistant Mubashir Abbas, sub-assistant Mohammad Azeem and security guard Imran Javed — have been suspended on account of “inefficiency and misconduct”.

Sources said the case could be a tip of the iceberg, as there were a number of officials who had been serving in the DMA for the last many years, and their long stay in the directorate itself was a big question mark.

“The chief commissioner and DC Islamabad should not only remove all such officials who have been serving in DMA for years, but there is also a need to check their and their family members’ assets details,” said an official.

The sources said a simple round of the city was enough for anyone to check the efficiency of CDA/DMA, as in almost all markets of Islamabad there is encroachment, and even businessmen, allegedly in connection with CDA/DMA officials, have also encroached upon verandas. Because of the negligence of the CDA and other concerned organisations, the federal capital, which used to be known as ‘Islamabad-the Beautiful’, is now presenting a completely different picture with encroachment, unauthorised constructions, slums, etc.

Published in Dawn, October 16th, 2023