The government’s plan to reform Capital Development Authority (CDA)/Metropolitan Corporation of Islamabad (MCI) has been in the doldrums, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Wednesday, quoting its sources.

The Ministry of Interior Affairs has raised questions about the reforms plan introduced by Dr Ishrat Hussain and declared that the transfer of CDA/MCI departments to other ministries is impossible without amending the CDA Ordinance.

The federal government’s top adviser on institutional reforms Dr Ishrat earlier recommended the transfer of 15 departments of CDA and MCI to ministries and the federal cabinet had also approved recommendations of the Reforms Committee on Reorganization of CDA and MCI on April 21, 2019.

As per the plan, the relevant departments of CDA supposed to be transferred to ministries included NHA, Ministry of Housing, Ministry of Climate Change, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination.

However, CDA workers and officers union has already approached the court over the issue, the sources maintained.

The Interior Ministry, Cabinet Division and the Ministry of Law have also submitted their replies in the court.

The sources maintained that the transfer of a department from CDA and MCI had to include the opinion of the concerned ministry.

Before any transfer, CDA Ordinance 1960 and the Local Government Act must be amended to transfer CDA and MCI departments.

It is pertinent to note that the CDA is an independent body, the board of the institution may have to be dissolved, the sources in the Ministry of Interior said.

The MCI also operates in Islamabad under the Local Government Act and for the transfer of departments from both the institutions, formal legislation and constitutional amendment will have to be made by the Parliament, the Interior Ministry sources opined.

Waleed Chaudhry reported this news for 24NewsHD TV channel.