The Standing Committee on Housing and Works Thursday sought a complete report on Thalian Joint Venture Housing Project in its next meeting from the Federal Government Employees Housing Foundation (FGEHF). The committee met under the chairmanship of MNA Haji Muhammad Akram Ansari. The committee decided to have a comprehensive briefing from the FGEHF on Thalian Joint Venture Housing Project in view of concerns raised by the members of committee regarding availability of water, title of land, access from the Islamabad-Lahore Motorway and eligibility of the joint venture (JV) partner.
The members of the committee were of the view that neither joint venture partner was selected as per approval of the cabinet and laid down procedures by the government, nor the JV partner had the capacity to carry out the project. They also raised their concerns about the feasibility of the project in terms of availability of water, title of land and access from the Islamabad-Lahore Motorway.
The committee while discussing the progress on the implementation of recommendations of the sub-committee of Standing Committee on Housing and Works on PM's Low Cost Housing Project in Kuchlak, Balochistan, expressed its dissatisfaction and directed M/o Housing and Works to initiate immediate action as suggested by the sub-committee in its report. The committee also directed the Pakistan Housing Authority to assist Quetta Development Authority (QDA) in removal of encroachments from the land of the said project.
The committee was apprised by the director general QDA that the said land was massively encroached upon and till the removal of encroachments, feasibility of the project could not be carried out. He assured the government of Balochistan's support for removal of encroachments and conduct of feasibility study. The committee directed for removal of encroachments within 15 days.
The committee after briefing on the policy of PHA for allotment of plots for mosques in its projects directed the ministry to take representatives of all disgruntled sects on board who had been disregarded during the allotment process of such plots. The chairman informed the committee that he had received various complaints regarding allotment of plots for mosques by PHA to representatives of only one sect. The committee directed the ministry to formulate a policy in this regard and also work on the proposal of constructing mosques through its own resources in all its future projects instead of allotting plots for the purpose, creating disgruntlement and litigation.