The Capital Development Authority (CDA) is collecting data on vacant posts, sparking fears among employees that the civic agency intends to abolish thousands of positions permanently.
Out of 19,000 sanctioned posts across grades 1 to 20, approximately 7,500 positions currently remain vacant within the various departments and formations of the authority.
The CDA Mazdoor Union, the collective bargaining agent, condemned the data collection drive alongside outsourcing of the CDA Hospital and the Sanitation Directorate to third-party contractors.
The union held an urgent meeting on Tuesday after management obtained vacancy data from the Human Resource Department, a move employees interpreted as preparation for mass post abolition.
Sources confirmed that employees are considering filing a court petition to legally challenge the moves, which they view as directly undermining their job security and rights.
CDA spokesperson Shahid Kaini described the data collection as a routine administrative exercise aimed at assessing the operational capacity and improving overall financial efficiency.
He stated the process aligns with the broader rightsizing policy of federal government, under which long-dormant or non-essential positions would be evaluated against actual operational requirements.
Union General Secretary Chaudhry Mohammad Yaseen demanded reversal of the post abolition decision, reactivation of the Joint Work Council, and strict compliance with court rulings and labour laws.
He alleged management was bypassing the National Industrial Relations Act by failing to consult the collective bargaining agent before implementing policies viewed as detrimental to workers’ interests.
The union warned it would exercise all legal and democratic rights available if its demands regarding post abolition, outsourcing, and third-party recruitment contracts were not addressed promptly.
Separately, promotion of CDA’s own cadre employees from BPS-19 to BPS-20 has remained pending for approximately two years, adding further frustration to an already tense workforce.
The federal ombudsman recently directed CDA to publish results of interviews conducted last December for 191 posts, tested through NUST, whose outcomes remain undisclosed to date.
