The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has directed the government to use muscles against real estate developers involved in land grabbing and underhand deals. At a meeting here on Thursday, the panel observed that a mafia into the property business is operating freely without any official check.
The PAC called for tougher laws to restrict the activities of illegal housing societies. It was second time in less than six months that the parliamentary corruption watchdog took note of the illegal business of real estate developers.
In March this year, the committee observed top real estate developers were paying bribes to military hierarchy, influential politicians and powerful government functionaries for not hindering their dirty business.
Presided over by MNA Sardar Ashiq Hussain Gopang, the PAC met to examine the audit reports of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) for 1999-2000. In Islamabad alone, several members said, hundreds of illegal housing societies are looting people by selling dreams instead of land. The committee directed the CDA not to spare whatever can be done to stop them operate at their will.
The CDA Chairman Kamran Lashari informed the panel that authority was in the process of bringing amendments in relevant laws to make property transactions more transparent.
Lawmakers said the authorities must go hard on such illegal outfits right from the day they are established. To another audit objection, the committee expressed anger over the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) illegally possessing government buildings in the capital. CDA management told the panel that some NAB officials have been residing in official residence without paying rents. The meeting directed the CDA to recover outstanding amount from them.