ISLAMABAD: Almost two weeks after the repatriation of its board members, the federal government on Monday appointed member finance and member administration of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) on a deputation basis.

The Establishment Division issued separate notifications to this effect.

Tahir Naeem Akhtar, a BS-19 officer of Pakistan and Audit and Accounts Service, was posted as the finance member on deputation basis, whereas Talat Mahmood, a BS-19 officer, of the Pakistan Administrative Services, was posted as the administration member. However, members of the planning and engineering wings have not been appointed. According to officials, they would be appointed soon.

After the removal of the board members on the orders of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) ostensibly to ensure transparent polls due next year, former planning member Waseem Hayat Bajwa also challenged his transfer from the CDA to his parent department in the Islamabad High Court.

In the first week of September, the ECP had directed the CDA chairman to post out all members of the CDA board serving on deputation. The orders for the removal of the said board members had been issued by the ECP on September 5 in response to a CDA’s inquiry and report of this newspaper highlighting an alleged land scam at the CDA Land Directorate.

“On perusal of the case, the commission has noted that the CDA/ICT Administration plays an important role in the conduct of free and fair elections. It has been desired as the general elections are at hand, the CDA members may be transferred to the Establishment Division, to the extent of those officers who are on deputation,” read the ECP letter.

“Moreover, the officers of CDA Cadre in such senior positions may be shuffled. In both cases, officers with good repute and neutral dispensation should be posted to ensure the conduct of free and fair elections,” it added. Following the said orders, the caretaker government transferred only one member (member estate) and stalled the transfer of other officials.

The ECP after taking cognisance of the delay issued a show-cause notice to the CDA, asking why the members were not transferred. However, despite the ECP’s reminder, the interior ministry and the Establishment Division remained unmoved. Consequently, a final deadline of three days was given. After the warning, the members were later repatriated in line with the ECP directives. It may be noted that in place of the estate member, the government had already appointed Tariq Salam as the member estate.

Published in Dawn, October 24th, 2023