ISLAMABAD: The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) that probed the One Constitution Avenue case has recommended an independent statutory Master Plan Commission to oversee Islamabad’s master plan, which has so far remained under the sole control of the Capital Development Authority (CDA). The federal cabinet has approved the JIT’s report.
The proposed commission would include town planners, environmentalists and civil society representatives. The report also calls for amending the CDA ordinance to introduce transparency, e-governance and accountability measures.
The city’s original planners had suggested revising the master plan every 20 years, but the exercise has never been completed. Over the years, the federal government has made more than 52 selective changes, contributing to planning problems.
The JIT further recommended digitising all files, allotment records, sub-leases and NOCs, and processing allotments, transfers and building plans through an online portal. It proposed abolishing discretionary powers, limiting officers’ postings in the Estate, Planning, Enforcement and Building Control wings to two years, and subjecting commercial auctions, allotments and contracts to pre-audit by third-party firms.
Other recommendations include equipping the Enforcement Directorate with body cameras and standard operating procedures, establishing a Nadra-style citizen facilitation centre, and making public hearings and environmental impact assessments mandatory before any change in land use, commercialisation or auction of amenity plots. The report also calls for protection and rewards for staff who report illegalities.
Based on the JIT’s findings, the federal government and the CDA have decided to take back control of the One Constitution Avenue building, located on a CDA plot, over alleged lease defaults and fraud. The building is to be converted into a five-star hotel, and the CDA held a meeting on Thursday to explore engaging a reputed hotel chain.
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Source: DAWN
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