Lawmakers slam CDA over renovation of Parliament Lodges

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ISLAMABAD: Members of the two sides in the National Assembly expressed concern over the incompetence and mismanagement of the Capital Development Authority over the renovation and repair of Parliament Lodges.

During the question of time in the National Assembly on Wednesday, Aamir Dogar raised the question of his attitude towards the CDA’s inability and parliamentarians. Shazia Sobia Soomro said issues including cleaning were not being resolved.

Deputy Speaker Ghulam Mustafa Shah said that the CDA’s performance is the worst, and now new tenders will be issued to solve the problems of the Parliament Lodge. He said that CDA Parliament Lodge Director and Deputy Director has been suspended due to mismanagement. He added that a meeting is underway in the planning division, and tenders will be issued once the approval. Currently, 51 MNA does not have official residence. PPP leader Syed Naveed Qamar proposed outsourcing lodge management, and argued that if handled by private companies, the current budget could significantly improve quality. He added that the matter is underway in the Finance Standing Committee. MNA Noor Alam Khan highlighted that MNAs are paying rent and utility bills on time, employees in the lodges are getting unnecessary facilities. He criticized the defective deployment of about 200 CDA staff, saying that only two or three workers were available when the call was made.

Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Tariq Fazil Chaudhry emphasized the need to complete the pending construction project since 2008 to resolve the shortage of space. He said complaints about the lodges are often considered and problems that affect all MNAs seriously. He also highlighted that the inability of the administration is a major concern and it has been said that the CDA can only improve better performance if it receives proper funds. Under a question, Tariq Fazil Chaudhry made it clear that no fees were charged by students enrolling in public sector schools. He said that textbooks were also provided to the students without price. Praising the media, the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs said that he played a vibrant role in spreading accurate information to domestic and international audiences during the recent tensions with India.

Minister of State for National Health Services Ms Ahmed Malik told the House that recently 13,000 youths have been provided civil defense training. He played an important role in ensuring the safe evacuation of people during tensions with India.

According to a question on sports promotion measures, Parliamentary Secretary Kiran Imran Dar said that comprehensive steps are being taken to promote sports, including the restoration of the department’s support and the steps to eliminate sports federations. Dar acknowledged that Pakistan’s national hockey team has failed to qualify for international programs since 2012 due to internal problems within the federation.

He said that the government has now introduced a number of reforms to promote sports development, especially hockey. “A model constitution has been introduced for national sports federations within the framework of the Pakistan Sports Board, and policy guidelines have been issued to ensure timely elections in various federations,” he said. Dar noted that “guidelines for foreign tours have also been provided,” Dar said, “Pakistan Hockey Federation received a budget of Rs 119 million during 2023-24 and 2024-25.

He emphasized that efforts are being made to eliminate politics from sports organizations to improve overall performance and transparency. After the 18th Amendment, the games have become a provincial subject, but the federal government continues to support the players who have promised internationally, including the increase in the outstanding performance rewards.

Responding to additional questions of MNA Dr Nafisa Shah and Sameena Khalid Ghurki, Dar said that 44 sports federations are currently active in the country and qualifications are being raised at the national level through training and opportunities. Highlighting a recent success, he said that Pakistan’s hockey team was runner -up in the 2024 tournament, after which the Prime Minister announced a cash prize of Rs 1 million for each player. He also confirmed that the support of the Department of Games, which was previously closed, has been restored to provide a stable platform for players in various subjects.