ISLAMABAD, Oct 6: Capital Development Authority (CDA) Chairman Kamran Lashari has been removed by the government in a surprise move, sources told Dawn on Monday.

Kamran Lashari, who served as the authority’s chairman for over five years, has been made the chief commissioner Islamabad. He is likely to be replaced by the CDA’s member administration, Tariq Mehmood Khan.

The official notification of the removal and fresh posting of the two officials will be issued on Tuesday, the sources said.

Analysts said heading the CDA would be a challenging task for the new chairman as he has to meet the pace of uplift works and new development-oriented initiatives taken by Mr Lashari.

On the contrary, the job given to Mr Lashari (public administration) is quite different to the taste of the former CDA chief, who is famous for his ‘green fingers’ (greenery), aesthetic, landscaping and as a heritage preserver.

Former interior minister Faisal Saleh Hayat had brought Mr Lashari to Islamabad in 2003 and called him a ‘gift for the capital’. Since then Mr Lashari executed a number of projects and turned Islamabad from a ‘dead city’ to a lively one. Some of his famous projects are remodelling of Daman-i-Koh, widening of Daman-i-Koh Road with streetlight facility, construction of Monal Restaurant at Pir Sohawa, Saidpur Model Village, establishment of Rawal Lake Park, addition of two new highways in the capital, 7th Avenue and 9the Avenue, three underpasses at 7th Avenue, an underpass at China Chowk, construction of Islamabad Expressway, Zero Point Interchange, reconstruction and widening of a number roads, Citizens Club at Fatima Jinnah Park, Arts and Craft Village at Shakarparian, Ladies Club at G-10, construction of over three dozens new parks and playgrounds in residential localities, sit-out areas at main commercial centres, installation of signage, besides building public toilets and passengers shelters at bus bays.

On the other hand the new CDA chief Tariq Mehmood Khan is good in public administration as he had served as deputy commissioner Islamabad as well as in other districts.