Evacuee Trust Property Board Chairman (ETPB) Asif Hashmi has rented out flats in Lahore and Rawalpindi in violation of the Ministry of Minority Affairs directives, APP learnt here on Tuesday. Last week, national media carried reports about the violation of the Federal Ministry of Minority Affairs directives by the ETPB, Lahore.
However, the ministry officials failed to confirm or deny the reports giving rise to the speculations that its functionaries may be involved in the scam. According to details, the ETPB invited applications for renting out Board flats in Lahore and Rawalpindi in February last year, but the allotments were made to Lahore based journalists ignoring a large number of applicants in July last.
Following the receipt of complaints regarding non-transparent renting out process, the Ministry of Minority Affairs vide order no. 9(36)/2009-P-II, dated July 28, 2009 stopped the process of the renting out flats. However, the ETPB rented out flats in Lahore and in Rawalpindi to Lahore-based journalists and the ETPB employees on July 30, 2009. These allotments were made on the verbal orders of the Chairman ignoring a large number of applicants.
Meanwhile the Human Rights Society of Pakistan (HRSP) has demanded immediate withdrawal of allotment letters. HRSP Secretary General A M Shakoori while talking to newsmen here demanded the cancellation of so called allotments. He also demanded that the allotments should be made in a transparent way. The Lahore based HRSP is headed by former Federal Law Minster and PML-Q Senator S M Zafar.