Report on Islamabad master plan to be finalised in a month

Islamabad:      The commission formed to review the Islamabad master plan will be needed to prepare and submit the final report within a month, sources revealed. The body is entrusted with the task to propose solutions to issues like regularisation of unauthorised construction and slums. Additionally, the federal government has extended the scope of the commission, which will now also examine sewerage contamination of the Korang River, a notification issued by the Interior Ministry reads.

“In pursuance of the completion of assigned task, the commission will evaluate existing reports, information available on record and all other data for them and finalise the report within one month. The commission will also examine the problem of sewerage contamination in Korang River upstream of Rawal Dam and suggest appropriate solution,” the notification stated.

In this regard, the Planning Commission, Capital Development Authority (CDA), Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) and Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (PEPA) have been asked to extend support to the commission.

The notification also notifies the addition of nine new members – architect Nayyar Ali Dada, Ali Asghar Khan, Aziz Aslam, Khurram Fareed Bargatt, lawyer Nayyab Hassan Gardazi, environmentalist Humaira Qasim Khan, Asma Khalil, Naveed Aslam and Salman Mansoor. The notification also de-notifies four members – Syed Ayub Qutab, Javed Ali Khan, Jehangir Khan Sherpao and Abdul Haleem Paracha.

It is reported that the commission has completed and compiled a preliminary 250-page report; however, to carry out the major work, a professional consultant would be hired who will complete his work within 300 days.