ISLAMABAD : After waiting for 17 months the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has given a key position to an officer whose appointment was declared illegal by the Islamabad High Court in July 2013.

The CDA management on Thursday allowed Ghulam Sarwar Sindhu take charge of Director General Civic Management, who had been without post for around a year and half mainly because of the numerous inquires and cases of corruption against him.

In addition to the IHC decision, he is suspected of having links with private investors after he made major controversial decisions while serving at various positions in the CDA.

Mr Sindhu faced an internal inquiry over a controversial deal with the managers of Diplomatic Shuttle Service in which 4.5 acres of land was allocated to the bus service at Rs2 per square yard, per annum. He was cleared of these charges, however others followed. Mr Sindhu signed an Memorendum of Understanding (MOU) with Bahria Enclave and allowed a new road of some 3.5 kilometers to be built on CDA land so that private real estate schemes could get access to the main road.

When Mr Sindhu was DG Planning in 2012, he allowed alterations in the ‘floor area ratio’ of CDA regulations, for Safa Gold mall, F-7.As a result, it is the only multi-storey building in the F-7, while other buildings are not allowed to go beyond two storeys. However, spokesman of CDA Asim Khichi said the officer has obtained a stay order over the IHC decision and no formal decision has come on any other inquiry against Mr Sindhu either.

Published in Dawn, December 5th, 2014