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Global Go To Think Tank Index (GGTTI) 2020 launched                    111,75 Think Tanks across the world ranked in different categories.                SDPI is ranked 90th among “Top Think Tanks Worldwide (non-US)”.           SDPI stands 11th among Top Think Tanks in South & South East Asia & the Pacific (excluding India).            SDPI notches 33rd position in “Best New Idea or Paradigm Developed by A Think Tank” category.                SDPI remains 42nd in “Best Quality Assurance and Integrity Policies and Procedure” category.              SDPI stands 49th in “Think Tank to Watch in 2020”.            SDPI gets 52nd position among “Best Independent Think Tanks”.                           SDPI becomes 63rd in “Best Advocacy Campaign” category.                   SDPI secures 60th position in “Best Institutional Collaboration Involving Two or More Think Tanks” category.                       SDPI obtains 64th position in “Best Use of Media (Print & Electronic)” category.               SDPI gains 66th position in “Top Environment Policy Tink Tanks” category.                SDPI achieves 76th position in “Think Tanks With Best External Relations/Public Engagement Program” category.                    SDPI notches 99th position in “Top Social Policy Think Tanks”.            SDPI wins 140th position among “Top Domestic Economic Policy Think Tanks”.               SDPI is placed among special non-ranked category of Think Tanks – “Best Policy and Institutional Response to COVID-19”.                                            Owing to COVID-19 outbreak, SDPI staff is working from home from 9am to 5pm five days a week. All our staff members are available on phone, email and/or any other digital/electronic modes of communication during our usual official hours. You can also find all our work related to COVID-19 in orange entries in our publications section below.    The Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) is pleased to announce its Twenty-third Sustainable Development Conference (SDC) from 14 – 17 December 2020 in Islamabad, Pakistan. The overarching theme of this year’s Conference is Sustainable Development in the Times of COVID-19. Read more…       FOOD SECIRITY DASHBOARD: On 4th Nov, SDPI has shared the first prototype of Food Security Dashboard with Dr Moeed Yousaf, the Special Assistant to Prime Minister on  National Security and Economic Outreach in the presence of stakeholders, including Ministry of National Food Security and Research. Provincial and district authorities attended the event in person or through zoom. The dashboard will help the government monitor and regulate the supply chain of essential food commodities.

Nuzhat Zazar

Business Recorder

Published Date: Jan 22, 2016

Non-confirming use: development sector seeks exemption from ongoing CDA operation

Development sector has demanded government to either allocate some building or resources where they can work for the betterment of the society or exempt them from the Capital Development Authority (CDA) operation against non-conforming use of residential areas.
The Capital Development Authority (CDA), in compliance with the Supreme Court’s order, has paced up its ongoing operation against use of residential areas for commercial purposes and in this respect has sealed and sent notices to political parties’ offices, non-profitable organisations, law enforcement agencies and other institutions. The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to take action against commercial usage of residential area in Islamabad without exception. Despite resistance and approach from various high ups, CDA continued with its operations against non-conforming use of residences, sources told.
On Supreme Court’s order, the CDA team comprising CDA magistrate and officials from the building control section and enforcement directorate started evacuating the commercial businesses which were working in the residential areas. SDPI building owner received the notification by CDA to vacate the building under the SC order and have given a time period till March. Development sector needs to be exempted from the operations started by Capital Development Authority against the commercial sector operating in the residential areas in Federal Capital on account of non-conforming use, said Executive Director Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) Abid Sulehri.
He said the government either should provide some building or allocate resources where the development sector can reside and work for the betterment. Giving example of India’s habitat centre in New Delhi, which is an NGO, he said Indian government has dedicated a floor to each NGO in a building particularly intended for them. He said business tycoons have been given plots in H-8 and similarly the government has also given special allocated space for the schools in diplomatic enclave.
Since the government gets the support from the development sectors thus the government should facilitate it by giving proper space in institutional zone or provide space on rent or at least provide some resources to let these non-commercial institutes work for them collectively.
According to the report submitted to Supreme Court by CDA, approximately, 93 properties under non-conforming use has been sealed, 140 properties have been voluntarily brought by the owners into confirming use. However, total number of properties still in non-conforming use has been reduced from 1695 to 1339 as to date. With regard to the 352 properties being used as schools, private school association Islamabad has filed case against CDA, which is still pending with Islamabad high court.
CDA also sealed political parties’ offices such as Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) over nonconforming use of residential areas whereby Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) voluntarily removed the nonconforming use after issuance of repeated warning letters to them to stop commercial use of the houses.
Source: http://www.brecorder.com/general-news/172/8886/
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