ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) is facing criticism over poor-quality work on the Pak Secretariat’s central mosque worth millions of rupees.
According to details, the Secretariat Mosque received a contract costing Rs. 438 million from the CDA, and after a protracted period of construction, the mosque was finally unveiled to the public in October of last year.
The sources claimed that during an investigation, it was determined that substandard work was conducted in the construction of the mosque, while worshipers, and Pak Secretariat employees, had also sent a written complaint to the Public Account Committee (PAC), a few months ago.
The complainants claimed that the mosque was opened without facilities like CCTV cameras, proper security, the ability to use cold water, slippage, leakage, poor quality of carpets, poor sound system, smell from drains, a single ablution area, and lack of heating and cooling system.
According to sources, the PAC requested a report from CDA in August of this year, to which the CDA established a fact-finding inquiry committee under the direction of Director General Azam Khan Lodhi, which included Deputy Director Shamsul Haq.
A worshipper told the sources that the water was seeping through certain floor joints on the ground floor, and the courtyard’s floor levels were unsatisfactory, causing water to flow backward from the courtyard into the hallways.
Furthermore, the complainants added that the contractor’s subpar work caused a loss to the public exchequer, and that the cost of the defective work should be recovered from the contractor.
Some also suggested that the contractor may be directed through a final notice for rectification and redoing of defective work and completion of pending work.
Besides, a senior CDA officer said the civic authority would now conduct a proper investigation into the matter and the builder/contractor would be dealt with according to the law.
