Citizen Club, automated parking to enhance Islamabad’s business scene

ISLAMABAD: In a meeting with a delegation from the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), Captain (R) Anwar ul Haq, Chairman of the Capital Development Authority (CDA), affirmed the commitment of the CDA to take comprehensive measures addressing key issues to foster business development.

Captain Anwar ul Haq stated that the CDA is actively working on developing transparent and financially viable systems to enhance services for both citizens and the business community.

Among the initiatives discussed, he highlighted the ongoing efforts towards implementing an automated parking system in Islamabad, aimed at resolving parking issues in markets.

Furthermore, the chairman disclosed that the long-awaited Islamabad Citizen Club is on the verge of becoming operational.

During the meeting, Anwar ul Haq expressed the CDA’s willingness to transfer the responsibility of public toilets, filtration plants, and the hospital to the ICCI for maintenance and operation under mutually agreed terms.

Additionally, the chairman indicated the consideration of outsourcing water supply and waste management systems to ensure hassle-free services for citizens.

In a bid to facilitate the business community and citizens, the CDA is undertaking the digitization of land records.

The Chairman updated the delegation on various ongoing initiatives, including the introduction of electric buses and extensive tree plantation drives, aimed at transforming Islamabad into an environmentally friendly city.

Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari, President of the ICCI, briefed Chairman Anwar ul Haq on the key concerns of the business community, urging urgent measures to address them.

Among the highlighted issues were the construction of water filtration plants, the establishment of flower markets in Markaz, the completion of the slaughterhouse project, the operationalization of the Citizens Club, and the establishment of a wholesale poultry market in the federal capital.

Bakhtawari also emphasised the need for the CDA to focus on the overall development of markets and the replacement of old sewerage lines with new ones to resolve sewerage issues.

Senior Vice President of ICCI, Faad Waheed, echoed the concerns of the industrial sector, stressing the urgency of their early resolution. The delegation, which included Zafar Bakhtawari, Muhammad Ejaz Abbasi, Ajmal Baloch, Raja Hassan Akhtar, Zahid Qureshi, Khalid Chaudhry, and others, sought the chairman’s attention to crucial matters affecting the business and industrial landscape of the capital.

As discussions progressed, both parties reiterated their commitment to collaborative efforts in achieving sustainable development for Islamabad’s business and civic sectors.

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