ISLAMABAD:Deputy Chairman Senate Mirza Muhammad Afridi on Friday directed finance secretary, Ministry of Planning and Development and Capital Development Authority (CDA) to expedite the completion of additional blocks of Parliament Lodges in collaboration with National Assembly secretariat.
Presiding the Senate House Committee, the deputy chairman directed the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to issue residential cards to persons residing at the Parliament Lodges.
CDA staff was directed to display cards during their visit to Parliament Lodges.
The committee also directed to issue separate cards to the members and their immediate families for gymnasium.
Senate Secretariat should circulate forms to the lodges’ households to ascertain the number of workers attached with them (permanent or temporary) in order to dispatch security cards to the same particularly for the side rooms.
Senator Bharamand Khan Tangi, who attended the meeting as a special invitee, lamented that the security of the Parliament Lodges was very poor.
“Anyone can enter the premises of the Parliament Lodges without any check and balance,” he added.
It was directed by the committee that no one should be allowed in the premises without the confirmation from the household of the respective lodge.
The DSP Parliament Lodges informed the committee that more policemen were required to be deputed at the Parliament Lodges.
The Police officials also informed that a total of 21 ICT police and 23 Frontier Corps, FC personals were deputed at the Parliament Lodges and had lengthy shift hours, it was recommended that the shift hours may be reduced.
The Member Engineering apprised the committee that block A was completed 61 percent and Block B by 71 pc.
An additional Rs 1400 million budget allocation was required respectively.
Rs 300 million were already allocated for the said project, he further informed.
The member engineering ensured that the paper work was already completed and the tender can be immediately issued provided that at least 50 percent payment was completed.
He said that tender cannot be floated without the available funds.
The Senate committee showed reservation on the delayed progress of the additional block, the chairman Committee ensured that the committee will take up monthly meetings to expedite the work on the additional block.
The CDA officials also put forward their stance on the outsourcing of the project for a speedy completion, however, the deputy chairman maintained that the committee will extend its full support and co-operation and hold joint meeting with the allied departments for the completion of the project.
The committee also decided to have an on –ground visit of the site to inspect the work progress.
The member finance CDA said that the liabilities on the CDA for the repair and maintenance were more than the funds granted and also suggested to have a separate head for the development projects.
The meeting was attended by Senators Shahat Awan, Fawzia Arshad, Rubina Khalid, Ejaz Ahmed Chaudhry, Muhammad Tahir Bizenjo, Sardar Muhammad Shafiq Tareen, Dr. Afnan ullah Khan, Falak Naaz, and Senator Haji Hidayat Ullah.
Rana Shakeel Asghar Financial Advisor Member CDA, Sayed Munawar Shah Member Engineering CDA, officials from the Ministry of interior, DSP Parliament Lodges and officials of other attached departments were also in attendance.