ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) on Friday got new members finance, administration, planning and estate.

The other day, government had appointed BS-20 officer retired Lt Sohail Ashraf of Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS) as the chief commissioner Islamabad, who is also set to take additional charge of the CDA chairman in place of Mohammad Ali Randhawa, who has been posted as the Director General Immigration and Passports.

Following the development, the government on Friday posted Mohammad Umair a BS-19 officer of PAS as member finance in place of Tahir Naeem Akhtar, an officer of Pakistan Audit and Accounts Service.

Mr Umair has also been given the additional charge of member planning, in place of Dr Mohammad Khalid Hafeez, who has been repatriated to his parent department C&W Department, Punjab.

New chief commissioner Islamabad is set to take additional charge of chairman

The post of member planning is a specialised one, but the government despite the opposition of Pakistan Council of Architects and Town Planners (PCATP) has kept posting officers of other cadres. Dr Khalid Hafeez was also a civil engineer with a PhD in structure engineering.

Now, Mr Umair, a grade 19 officer, will also hold the acting charge of member planning.

A judicial commission constituted by Islamabad High Court in 2013 had recommended that only well-known urban planners should be appointed as member planning.

It may be mentioned that the revision of master plan of Islamabad is pending and recently a summary was moved to form a commission for the revision of the city’s blueprint.

Meanwhile, the federal government also reshuffled member environment CDA Esfandyar Baloch, who has been appointed as member administration in place of Talat Mahmood. The latter has been directed to report to Establishment Division. Sources said that there are chances that PAS officer Abdullah Khurram Niazi, who on Friday stepped down as director domestic at Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will be appointed as member environment in the CDA.

Meanwhile, a retired officer of PMS Punjab - Zaman Wattoo - has been posted as member estate CDA, in place of additional charge holder Talat Mahmood. The federal government appointed Mr Wattoo on contractual basis.

It is relevant to note here that the posts of Chief Commissioner and CDA Chairman are separate and important positions. However, for the last around six years, the government has been giving acting charge of the post of CDA chairman to the chief commissioner.

To continue this practice, the government is once again all set to give charge of chairman CDA to the new commissioner.

Meanwhile, member engineering CDA Syed Nafasat Raza, sources said, will continue serving.

The CDA board is the main decision making body, which is headed by the chairman. It has eight executive members - chairman, member finance, administration, planning, engineering, estate,

technology and environment - and three non-executive members.

Published in Dawn, April 4th, 2026