Lawmakers, CDA Chief discuss new solid waste management framework

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: Senior lawmakers from Islamabad on Thursday met with Capital Development Authority (CDA) Chairman Muhammad Ali Randhawa to review plans for a modern, technology-driven system aimed at improving cleanliness and service delivery across the city.
During the meeting at CDA Headquarters, Randhawa briefed MNAs Anjum Aqeel Khan and Malik Abrar Ahmed on the new solid waste management framework, which will be rolled out in two operational packages to strengthen coverage in both urban and rural areas.
Randhawa said the redesigned system marks a shift towards international standards of waste collection and disposal, with the private sector playing a larger role in operations, technology integration and community services.
He emphasised that the reforms seek to create a more efficient, transparent, and integrated model for a rapidly growing capital.
The lawmakers were told that the inclusion of private firms is intended to streamline logistics, expand service capacity and address long-standing gaps in sanitation.
MNA Malik Abrar Ahmed said private-sector participation would bring “greater transparency and timeliness”, while Anjum Aqeel Khan stressed the importance of adopting modern service benchmarks to meet rising urban expectations.
Randhawa assured the parliamentarians that no existing CDA jobs would be affected by the transition, noting that the authority’s workforce would remain part of the upgraded structure.
The meeting concluded with agreement on developing a unified plan to raise the quality and consistency of sanitation services across all neighbourhoods, as Islamabad prepares for its most comprehensive waste management reform in years.