The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has appointed three retired brigadiers to senior administrative positions, assigning them leadership roles in civic management, planning and development, and land and estate management.

The appointments were approved by CDA Chairman and formalised through separate notifications issued by the authority’s Human Resource Development Directorate. The officers have been placed in Basic Scale 20 (BS-20), with their new assignments taking effect immediately.

The newly appointed officers are Brigadier (Retired) Muhammad Javed Iqbal, Brigadier (Retired) Rashid Manzoor and Brigadier (Retired) Muhammad Azhar Khan. They will oversee three important departments responsible for municipal administration, development planning and the management of public land and estates in Islamabad.

The appointments follow a recruitment process that faced delays because of legal proceedings before the Islamabad High Court (IHC). According to CDA officials, the selection process has now been completed and the three officers have been assigned their respective responsibilities. <Cite refs={[“turn374521view0″,”turn374521view1”]}/>

Three Retired Brigadiers Assigned Key CDA Departments

The latest administrative changes place the three retired officers in charge of major directorates within the capital’s civic authority.

Their appointments are as follows:

The appointments were made through individual office orders issued by the HRD Directorate following approval from the CDA chairman.

The notifications direct the concerned officers to submit their charge assumption reports to complete the formal process of taking responsibility for their new departments.

The three positions carry significant administrative responsibilities because they cover essential areas of Islamabad’s municipal management, urban development and land administration.

Muhammad Javed Iqbal Appointed DG Civic Management

Brigadier (Retired) Muhammad Javed Iqbal has been appointed Director General Civic Management.

The Civic Management Directorate deals with municipal and civic affairs in Islamabad. Its responsibilities include matters related to the city’s day-to-day administration and the maintenance of essential urban services.

The directorate’s work is important for maintaining public spaces, addressing municipal concerns and coordinating civic activities across different parts of the federal capital.

Javed Iqbal was previously awaiting a new posting before being assigned the DG Civic Management position under the latest arrangement.

His appointment comes as the CDA continues to manage the administrative requirements of a growing city, including the delivery and coordination of municipal services.

Rashid Manzoor Gets Planning and Development Portfolio

Brigadier (Retired) Rashid Manzoor has been appointed Director General Planning and Development.

The department is responsible for matters connected with Islamabad’s planning framework, development activities and coordination of projects within the authority’s jurisdiction.

Its responsibilities make the position important for the city’s future growth, infrastructure planning and implementation of development initiatives.

The department also has a role in coordinating planning-related matters to ensure that development activities follow the authority’s policies and regulations.

Manzoor’s appointment is part of the broader administrative restructuring involving three senior CDA directorates.

Azhar Khan Appointed DG Land and Estate Management

Brigadier (Retired) Muhammad Azhar Khan has been assigned the position of Director General Land and Estate Management.

The directorate oversees important matters involving CDA land, property administration and estate-related affairs.

Its work includes the management of land records and matters associated with properties and estates falling under the authority’s jurisdiction.

The department is particularly significant for Islamabad because land administration and property-related decisions affect residents, businesses, developers and other stakeholders.

Azhar Khan will assume responsibility for the directorate following the issuance of his appointment notification.

Appointments Follow Competitive Recruitment Process

The latest appointments come after the CDA initiated a recruitment process to fill vacant Director General positions in BS-20.

According to CDA officials quoted by Dawn, the recruitment process involved a competitive selection procedure. Around 100 shortlisted candidates were interviewed before the final selection of the three retired brigadiers.

The recruitment advertisement was issued in April 2026 and invited applications from candidates with at least 16 years of education and 25 years of government-sector experience.

The advertisement also stated that preference would be given to retired commissioned officers in BS-20.

Dawn reported that the appointments were initially made on a two-year contract basis, with the possibility of extension subject to satisfactory performance. <Cite refs={[“turn374521view0”]}/>

Islamabad High Court Case Had Delayed Recruitment

The recruitment process had faced delays because of litigation before the Islamabad High Court.

In May 2026, the IHC granted a stay on the recruitment process following a petition filed by Iftikhar Haideri, a BS-19 CDA officer.

The petitioner argued that the Director General positions in BS-20 should be filled through departmental promotions rather than direct recruitment.

He also maintained that the Departmental Promotion Committee had recommended his promotion from BS-19 to BS-20, but the authority had not acted on that recommendation.

The legal challenge therefore raised questions about the recruitment method and the promotion rights of existing CDA officers.

The court’s stay delayed the process, which the authority had originally planned to complete during May and June. After the stay was vacated, the CDA proceeded with the selection process and issued the appointment notifications. <Cite refs={[“turn374521view0″,”turn565435search9”]}/>

CDA Transfers Previous DG Civic Management

The new appointments also follow a related administrative change involving the Civic Management Directorate.

According to Dawn, the CDA recently transferred BS-20 officer Abdul Razzaq from the position of Director General Civic Management and directed him to report to the authority’s Human Resource Department.

Muhammad Javed Iqbal has now been assigned the position following that transfer.

CDA officials have also indicated that the authority plans to appoint a Director General Law through a separate competitive selection process on a contract basis. <Cite refs={[“turn374521view0”]}/>

What the Appointments Mean for Islamabad’s Administration

The placement of three new directors general brings changes to some of the CDA’s most important administrative departments.

Civic Management deals with the delivery of municipal services, Planning and Development oversees development-related matters, while Land and Estate Management handles the authority’s property and land affairs.

The performance of these departments can directly affect the management and development of the federal capital.

The new appointments come at a time when Islamabad continues to face demands involving urban expansion, infrastructure, civic services and land administration.

The effectiveness of the new leadership will depend on how the departments handle their responsibilities, coordinate with other CDA wings and address pending administrative and development matters.

For now, the authority has completed the recruitment process and formalised the appointments of Brigadier (Retired) Muhammad Javed Iqbal, Brigadier (Retired) Rashid Manzoor and Brigadier (Retired) Muhammad Azhar Khan to their respective BS-20 positions.

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