Mayor asks interior secretary to resolve issues facing MCI.

ISLAMABAD -- The mayor has written to the interior secretary seeking the resolution of various issues facing the Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI), including the transfer of departments and approval of its rules.

In a letter dated Dec 24, Mayor Sheikh Anser Aziz wrote that the Supreme Court on Dec 6 passed directions to the interior secretary to resolve the MCI's issues regarding its mandated operations and related matters of human resource, budget and development activities.

The letter, which is available with Dawn, stated that the 15 directorates including finance, human resources, administration, security, enforcement, law, coordination, accounts, and audit are to be shared between the MCI and CDA according to a decided list, and unfilled positions should be transferred to the MCI.

'This is one of the main hurdles in the performance of MCI,' the mayor wrote.

In Dec 24 letter, mayor says SC passed directions to resolve MCI issues regarding mandated operations, human resources, budget and development activities

He also said that the estate management's building control functions may also be transferred to the MCI according to the provisions of the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Local Government Act.

The CDA is illegally collecting property taxes, conservancy charges, water charges, building fees, land and plot transfer fees, the letter said, and should transfer the funds it has already collected to the MCI.

The local government and rural development, civil defence and public health departments of the ICT have not yet been transferred to the MCI in spite of a notification issued by the Ministry of Interior dated Jan 6, 2017, the letter said.

In addition, the MCI's house has passed a Schedule of Establishment and Rules and Business, which may be approved by the interior ministry, the mayor wrote. He also asked the interior secretary to appoint an independent chief officer of the MCI.

The letter said that employees working in the MCI were transferred from the CDA in 2016 through an official order issued by the now defunct Ministry of Capital...