islamabad - The maiden mayor-elect of Islamabad has vowed to lift the living standard of the residents of the capital, saying both long-term and short-term projects would be initiated for the betterment of the residents.
In an exclusive interview with The Nation here yesterday, Sheikh Ansar Aziz said that the metropolitan corporation would be focusing on the issues like health, public transport and solid waste management as a priority so that the residents and visitors feel a difference with the introduction of local government system in the capital. “Every union council would get a mini hospital. The infrastructure of the basic health units would be developed further to turn them into a mini hospital so that rush in the city’s main hospitals could be curtailed,” he said.
Talking about the new initiatives for the capital city, the mayor-elect said the metropolitan corporation will launch both long-term and short-term initiatives for the betterment of the people living in the federal capital. “A solid waste management company would be established to keep the city clean. The waste would be turned into energy. Inter-city transport would be introduced so that the residents get better transport facilities. Feeder routes for the metro bus service would also be launched to facilitate the commuters further,” Sheikh Ansar Aziz told The Nation.
On a question of increasing corruption in the Capital Development Authority (CDA), he said that grievances cell and vigilance cell would be established in the metropolitan corporation to check the menace and ensure self-accountability of the government employees. He said the elected representatives of the metropolitan corporation would keep an eye on the corrupt elements in the CDA as he identified corruption and corrupt elements as a major hurdle in the development of the city. “The CDA employees take bribe and facilitate the encroachers. No one can encroach upon state land without their (CDA employees) connivance,” he added. To a question, he said the market unions would be taken into confidence on the issues like encroachment and cleanliness.
To a question, the mayor-elect of Islamabad said that civic facilities like roads, sewerage, lights and parks would be part of the short-term policy. He said as a long-term initiative, he would invite consultants of international repute to review feasibility of all the sectors of the capital afresh and get recommendations for new projects. He said that the implementation on the policies introduced by the metropolitan corporation would be made in phases. The CDA will retain sector development and land acquisition only and all other directorates would be devolved to the local governments, he said and added that the funds of the devolved directorates will also be transferred to the metropolitan corporation. He said for the time being, the session of the metropolitan corporation will be held at the old Naval Complex, however, he added, that he would approach the prime minister for allocation of funds for the construction of a ‘Town Hall’ like other metropolitan cities of the country.
To a question, he said the local governments would follow the Supreme Court’s judgment on the katchi abadis (slums) in the city.
Aziz made it clear that the policies of CDA will continue and added the authority’s employees transferred to the local governments would continue to enjoy the benefits given by the authority.
To another question, he said that all the union councils would get equal share from the development funds. On the question of his nomination as mayor Islamabad, he said it makes no difference if one is elected directly or indirectly. “The real purpose of politics is serving the masses,” he added. He said his family has a long affiliation with the ruling party.