ISLAMABAD: During the question hour in the National Assembly on Thursday, lawmakers criticized the Capital Development Authority (CDA) for its failure to complete construction work in parliament lodges.
The parliamentarians also lambasted CDA for poor cleanliness arrangements and overall corruption.
MNA Mahreen Razzaq Bhutto raised concerns about the CDA’s inability to develop sector E-12, launched over three decades ago, and whether the plots purchased by people would be available for future generations.
MNA Shagufta Jumani initially raised the issue of poor maintenance of government buildings in Islamabad, to which several other lawmakers raised their voices against the CDA.
MNA Sheikh Rohale Asghar suggested that the house should focus on the affairs of parliament lodges, where lawmakers are residing, before discussing other issues related to the CDA.
He said that the CDA had failed to ensure proper cleanliness arrangements in the lodges.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Murtaza Javed Abbasi, responding to the questions on behalf of the interior minister, acknowledged the issues with the lodges, including the failure of a new block that was supposed to be completed by the CDA in 2014.
Abbasi also suggested outsourcing the maintenance and operations of the lodges for better results.
Opposition leaders Raja Riaz and Mohammad Abubakar also raised their voices against the CDA, and MNA Aliya Kamran suggested looking into the issue of air conditioners in the lodges.
Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf referred the issue related to outsourcing the operation of the lodges to a sub-committee of the finance committee and sent the issue of incomplete building of the lodges to the Privilege Committee of the house.
In response to concerns about two dysfunctional water filtration plants in sectors G-8 and I-18 and water shortage in the lodges, Abbasi assured the MPs that both the plants would be made functional by Friday.
An official of the CDA said posting records of CDA officials should be kept in view as a group of officers has been serving in the lodges and the PM Office for years.
