ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat has sought details of the vehicles owned by the Cabinet Pool and their utilisation and the expenditures incurred on their maintenance.
The Standing Committee also asked for strict monitoring of unauthorised/ private use of official vehicles after implementation of compulsory monetisation policy. The committee observed that private use of official vehicles was still in vogue.
The committee met with Kishwer Zahra MNA, in the chair at the Parliament House on Wednesday.
The committee, while discussing the issues of closure of Abandoned Property Organisation, asked the Cabinet Division to pursue reconstitution of Committee mandated to discuss and suggest way out to avoid closure of Abandoned Property Organisation.
The Secretary Law apprised the committee that previously, the said committee was constituted under the convenership of the then Law Minister to discuss the issue. He informed that the committee was currently dysfunctional after change of government. He said that the committee as and when constituted will resume its deliberations and suggest way out in that regard.
While discussing the issue of hanging of cable and internet wires with electric poles in Karachi, causing cases of electrocution, the Committee directed PTA and PEMRA to strictly monitor the removal of the respective cables of their licensees. The director general PTA apprised that the internet service providers have assured removal of cables within a week time.
Later, Acting Chairman Naya Pakistan Housing and Development Authority briefed the committee about the working and targets achieved by the authority. He apprised that the NAPHDA was established for the purpose of development, construction and management of real estate development schemes and projects with particular focus on affordable housing.
He informed that adopting a multi-pronged strategy measures were undertaken it enable and facilitate public sector entities, facilitation to private sector for large scale construction and facility of housing finance with mark-up subsidy. He said that due to consistent efforts the banks agreed to lend resulting in increase from 0.2 to 0.5 per cent. The acting chairman apprised the committee about the projects under construction and completed projects.
The committee appreciated the performance of the NAPHDA and viewed that the town planning regulations should strictly be followed in housing schemes initiated under the authority. The committee also directed for initiating housing schemes in other parts of the country especially Balochistan and Sindh.
The committee pended discussion on other agenda items due to absence of the movers.
The meeting was attended by MNAs Muhammad Sajjad, Rasheed Ahmad Khan, Rana Iradat Sharif Khan, Musarrat Rafiq Mahesar, Muhammad Abu Bakr, Syed Mehmood Shah, Muhammad Hashim, Mohsin Dawar, Secretary Law, Additional Secretary Cabinet, Acting Chairman NAPHDA, Director Generals from the PTA and PEMRA, and other officers of the concerned departments.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022