Islamabad - The members of Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI) on Tuesday criticized the government –irrespective of their political affiliation – for imposing a ban on the new utility connections in the areas where illegal housing schemes are operating.

The MCI members from the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz even lamented the ban and criticized the Mayor Islamabad and Chief Metropolitan Officer for not taking up the matter with the government functionaries.

They said that if there is a ban on new connections, why Minister of State for CADD was inaugurating new housing societies in the same areas.

They said that Bahria Town and Bahria Enclave both are illegal housing societies but the mayor has no courage to start operation against them.

The MCI meeting was held here at Pak-China Friendship Centre. Deputy Mayor Zeeshan Naqvi came hard on the Chief Metropolitan Officer, Asad Mahboob Kiani for showing Shah Allah Ditta area in zone-III of the capital.

The other members also criticized the CDA officials for ‘making illegal changes in zoning of the capital’. They said that CDA suddenly changes zones when it wanted to benefit a particular person or housing society.

Raja Zahid, a PML-N member MCI said that the mayor never asked the authorities for benefit of common man. The mayor approved constitution of a committee in the light of suggestions by the members of the MCI. The committee would submit its recommendations in a week time about the elimination of illegal construction activities and hurdles in the issuance of NOC for the provision of electricity and gas facility to the residential and commercial buildings so that these problems could be solved amicably.

Speaking on the occasion, the mayor said that promulgation and effective implementation of building bylaws in Islamabad is to eradicate and control illegal construction activities so that the natural beauty of the only planned city in the country could be restored.

To facilitate the residents of Islamabad, MCI has established a separate department of building control, which has prepared SOPs for strict implementation of building bylaws to stop all kinds of illegal constructions and regulate the rapid construction activities in the city.

The mayor said that in the light of the orders of Supreme Court of Pakistan and Islamabad High Court MCI has to move forward and take strict measures for the implementation of the building bylaws in the city.

The mayor was apprised that last time the ratio of property tax, water tax and other allied charges were revised in 2001, however, since then no suggestion in this regard has come up during the 16 years of time. The meeting approved constitution of a committee for an increase in the ratio of property tax, water charges and other allied charges, which will submit its detailed report to the house.