Lawmakers slam CDA over renovation of Parliament Lodges

ISLAMABAD: The legislators from both sides in the National Assembly raised concerns over the inefficiency and mismanagement of the Capital Development Authority over the renovation and repairs of the Parliament Lodges.

During the question hour in the National Assembly on Wednesday, Aamir Dogar raised the question of inefficiency of the CDA and its attitude towards the Parliamentarians. Shazia Soobiya Soomro said issues, including cleanliness, are not being resolved.

Deputy Speaker Ghulam Mustafa Shah said that the performance of the CDA is the worst, and now new tenders will be issued to resolve the problems of the Parliament Lodges. He said the Director and Deputy Director of the CDA Parliament Lodges have been suspended due to mismanagement. He further informed that a meeting in the Planning Division is underway, and tenders will be issued once approval is granted. Currently, 51 MNAs have no official accommodation. PPP leader Syed Naveed Qamar suggested outsourcing lodge management, arguing that the quality could significantly improve with the current budget if handled by private firms. He added that the matter is under discussion in the Standing Committee on Finance. MNA Noor Alam Khan highlighted that while MNAs are paying rent and utility bills on time, employees at the lodges are receiving unnecessary perks. He criticised the inefficient deployment of nearly 200 CDA staff, stating that only two or three workers are available when called.

Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhry stressed the need to complete a construction project pending since 2008 to resolve space shortages. He said the complaints about the lodges are frequent and termed issues affecting all MNAs as serious. He also highlighted that management inefficiencies are a major concern and stated that CDA can only improve performance if it receives adequate funding. To a question, Tariq Fazal Chaudhary clarified that no fee was charged from the students enrolled in public sector schools. He said the students were also provided textbooks free of cost. Praising the media, the minister for Parliamentary Affairs said they played a vibrant role in disseminating accurate information to the domestic and international audience during the recent tensions with India.

Minister of State for National Health Services Mukhtar Ahmad Malik told the House that around 13,000 youth were recently provided with civil defence training. They played a vital role in ensuring the safe evacuation of people during tensions with India.

To a question on measures for the promotion of sports, Parliamentary Secretary Kiran Imran Dar said comprehensive measures are being taken to promote sports, including the revival of departmental support and steps to depoliticize sports federations. Dar acknowledged that Pakistan’s national hockey team has failed to qualify for international events since 2012 due to internal issues within the federation.

She said the government has now introduced several reforms to boost sports development, particularly hockey. “A model constitution for National Sports Federations has been introduced within the Pakistan Sports Board framework, and policy guidelines have been issued to ensure timely elections in various federations,” she said. “Instructions have also been provided regarding foreign tours,” Dar noted that the Pakistan Hockey Federation received a budget of Rs119 million during 2023-24 and 2024-25.

She emphasized that efforts are being made to eliminate politics from sports organizations to improve overall performance and transparency. Following the 18th Amendment, sports have become a provincial subject, but the federal government continues to support athletes showing promise at international levels, including enhancing rewards for outstanding performances.

In response to supplementary questions from MNAs Dr. Nafisa Shah and Samina Khalid Ghurki, Dar said 44 sports federations are currently active in the country and that promising talent is being nurtured through training and opportunities at the national level. Highlighting a recent achievement, she mentioned that Pakistan’s hockey team was runner-up in a 2024 tournament, after which the prime minister announced a cash reward of Rs1 million for each player. She also confirmed that departmental sports support, which was previously discontinued, has been restored to provide stable platforms for athletes across various disciplines.