CDA would convey concerns about privatization to cabinet

On Wednesday, city managers decided to talk to the federal cabinet about the privatization of the Jinnah Convention Center (JCC).

A member of the board of the Capital Development Authority (CDA). “CDA will ask the federal cabinet to give two board members, architects Nayyar Ali Dada and Ali Asghar, a chance to speak to the cabinet about the privatization of the JCC.”

CDA’s board of directors agreed to this during a meeting with the chair of CDA in the chair.

The civic agency, in this case, has already given out no-objection certificates (NOCs).

A civic group says that if the center is privatized, it will put more pressure on roads and other services in the area.

Before selling the building, sources say the Ministry of Privatization should show enough water, electricity from a grid, a solid waste management plan, a traffic study, and a report on the sewage treatment plant (STP).

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People say that if the JCC is sold or privatized, there will be a lot of pressure on the roads and other services near it. Previously, the complex was used for conferences and other events, but when it is sold, the vast area that is now empty will be used by whoever wins the auction. This means that the pressure on services and roads will be even more.

Board members decided to ask the federal cabinet for a meeting with two of its members about the issue, before the CDA issues a revised allotment letter that turns a large part of the amenities areas into commercial space, as the federal government has decided.

The CDA and the Ministry of Privatization were still at odds over the privatisation of the JCC. Before getting study reports from the Privatization Commission, the CDA had said that it didn’t object to the privatization of JCC.

It was also said that JCC’s sale was put on hold after the CDA changed its mind.

It was through a letter that the CDA’s Member Estate Naveed Illahi said that the civic agency did not oppose privatizing JCC, but it had asked the Ministry of Privatization to provide study reports on the availability of water, electricity from a grid, waste management plans and traffic impact studies. The report on the sewage treatment plant was also requested (STP).

When no study was done, the letter said that “the matter should be brought to the attention of the prime minister or federal cabinet as deemed appropriate for the matter.”

“It is said that the CDA Board has no objections to the revision of the master plan of the area [JCC]. Before issuing a revised allotment letter, the Ministry of Privatization should share the following information that the consultants should have developed before proposing changes in the land use and master plan of the area,” the letter said.

CDA hasn’t said anything against the privatization of JCC, and last year’s meeting only talked about how to move properties in Islamabad.

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