RAWALPINDI:
After taking on additional duties as Director General of Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA), Rawalpindi Commissioner Aamir Khattak took notice of the multi-billion rupee mega financial scandal that occurred in the past.
According to officials, he announced a program to restore the image of the organization through image-building measures, good governance, public-friendly environment, resolution of employee issues, mandatory biometric attendance and a zero-tolerance policy against corruption and corrupt practices.
They said that after former RDA Director General Kaniza Murtaza relinquished his duties on Monday, Rawalpindi Engineer Commissioner Aamir Khattak visited the RDA office, took over additional duties as DG and chaired his first meeting with the officers. The meeting was attended by RDA Additional Director General Muhammad Anwar Baran, all directors, deputy directors, engineers and other officials.
Addressing the meeting, the commissioner said that working as a team, the first priority was to restore the damaged credibility of the institution. Image building and good governance will remain its main priorities. He ordered that citizens’ complaints be promptly addressed and all outstanding issues resolved without delay. He further announced that the presence of all managers and employees would now be ensured strictly by the biometric system.
The Commissioner made it clear that corruption and corrupt practices would not be tolerated under any circumstances and that a zero tolerance policy had been implemented with immediate effect. He also ordered strict implementation of the Punjab government’s instructions regarding development, beautification and improvement, stating that open manholes in the RDA controlled area would not be tolerated.
Safety measures at construction sites must be ensured, he added.
He directed the Additional Director General of RDA to provide vehicles to officers and field staff and compile progress reports of all departments.
It is pertinent to note that former RDA Director General Kaniza Murtaza was removed from her post by the Punjab Chief Secretary on January 31. During his tenure, over Rs 2 billion was allegedly transferred from the official RDA account to the accounts of various companies and individuals through Demand Deposit Receipts (CDRs). Besides, millions of rupees were allegedly siphoned off from the RDA contracts security account. According to the rules of the RDA, the signing authority in financial matters belongs only to the DG RDA and the director of finance.
In this regard, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has sought details of properties owned by former RDA Director General Kaniza Murtaza, eight former Director Generals, Director Administration and Finance and a total of 48 persons from CDA Islamabad and Development Authorities of Lahore, Gwadar, Karachi, Rawalpindi and Malir.
Currently, the GDR faces the challenge of 143 fully operational illegal housing projects. Meanwhile, an inquiry committee constituted by the Punjab chief secretary has been carrying out investigations into the financial scandal for the past ten months, but its report is yet to be made public.
