ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has ordered the revamping of Capital Development Authority (CDA), a news source reported. He was chairing a meeting held to review performance of the civic authorities, local administration and police.
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Ali Nawaz Awan, MNA Raja Khurram Nawaz, Interior Secretary retired Maj Azam Suleman Khan, Chief Commissioner Amir Ahmed Ali, IGP Amir Zulfiqar and other officers attended the meeting.
The prime minister directed CDA and Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad – among others – to address civic issues in the federal capital that included water scarcity, damaged street lights, land grabbing and dilapidated public parks. The participants were informed that leakages led to a loss of 40% of water.
They were also informed regarding progress on the ongoing anti-encroachment drive. Authorities concerned said they made substantial gains by recovering 75 acres in Tumair, 114 kanals at the Margalla foothills and land of the botanical garden and handed them over to the climate change ministry.
Other issues raised during the meeting included short and mid-term initiatives to transform Islamabad into a model city and progress made towards the revision of the capital’s master plan.
CDA is seeking the government’s approval pertaining to the formation of a 15-member commission in its bid to revise Islamabad’s master plan in nearly 58 years. A summary in this regard has been sent to the Interior Ministry by CDA Chairman Afzal Latif, who finalised the names for the proposed commission.
If approved, the 15-member body will include experts such as town planners, architects, environmentalists and civil engineers. Their names are Javed Ali Khan, renowned town planner and architect Prof Dr Ghulam Abbas, Professor Javed Hassan, environmentalist and architect Ayub Qutab, former CDA member planning Asad Mehboob Kayani, and former CDA member engineering Shahid Sohail.
Other names proposed for inclusion in the commission are CDA Member Planning Ehsanul Haq, Director Master Plan Zafar Iqbal Zafar, Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency’s director general and the chief metropolitan officer. Moreover, Pakistan Council of Architects and Town Planners will nominate a town planner and architect.
