ISLAMABAD: A meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Housing and Works was informed by the Ministry of Housing and Works that 2016 allotment and quota policy was being implemented.
The meeting presided over by Senator Haji Hidayatullah Khan on Thursday was informed that Islamabad High Court with reference to a case in 2021 has ordered that the policy should be reconsidered and approved by the cabinet. Subsequently, the cabinet after reviewing the policy presented suggestions where a subcommittee was formed to review it. He said in this regard High Court gave a 64-page judgment.
Minister for Housing and Works Tariq Bashir Cheema told the committee that the actual problem was not about quota and allotment but the problem was about its implementation as to which plot should be given to whom. He said that there were issues in this regard a comprehensive policy is needed to deal with such issues.
The minister said that the federal cabinet would be requested for a comprehensive review in this regard.
Upon this, the chairman of the committee said that it is better that the proposal should be formulated after reviewing the points raised by the IHC and a copy of the proposals should also be provided to the committee.
Senator Saifullah Khan Niazi said that the numbers of victims of Sector G-14/1 are increasing.
Both lists of victims should be provided to the standing committee.
Matters regarding construction of Kashmir Avenue Apartments were reviewed in detail in the meeting of the Standing Committee. The Standing Committee was informed that the structure of the project has been completed up to the basement. Some suggestions were made by the contractor and a committee has been formed to look into the matter.
Federal Minister for Housing and Works Chaudhry Tariq Bashir Cheema said that the project was awarded in 2020. I saw problems in the project and wrote several letters in this regard that the contract was not signed. The companies had written very low rates for the project. I have informed the prime minister in detail that the project should be re-tendered. Under this project, 1,467 apartments are to be constructed. “There are other projects like this which are delayed due to wrong planning,” he said. It is better to call a meeting next week in this regard, the details of which I will provide in the next meeting of the Standing Committee.
Senator Kamil Ali Agha said that legislation was needed to improve such matters, so as to save the loss of national exchequer. The Standing Committee decided that both the issues would be postponed till the next meeting for detailed review.
Regarding the establishment of a new housing society by the Federal Government Employees Housing Authority and the Pakistan Housing Authority or the purchase of land near New Islamabad International Airport in this regard, Chaudhry Tariq Bashir Cheema informed the Standing Committee that there was no scheme in this regard.
The meeting was attended by senators Saifullah Sarwar Khan Niazi, Kamil Ali Agha, Khaleda Ateeb, Behrmand Khan Tangi, Fida Muhammad, Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, besides Federal Minister for Housing and concerned senior officials.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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