ISLAMABAD: The Executive Board’s objections have made the future of applications received by the Federal Government Employees Housing Authority (FGEHA) from the general public and overseas Pakistanis for allotment of residential plots in sectors G-12 and F-12 in the federal capital uncertain, and the authority is now thinking of refunding the applicants.
Sources said the authority had invited applications on August 27 for allotment of plots with 20 per cent reserved quota for the general public and 15 per cent for overseas Pakistanis. As many as 28,000 requests were received from the general public and 11,000 from overseas Pakistanis. Rs400 million were also collected under the head of registration. The last date for receipt of applications was October 10.
Earlier, on Sept 21, in the FGEHA Executive Board meeting, former director general (DG) Tariq Rasheed presented the scheme for approval. But, instead of giving approval, the board expressed serious reservations about the launch of the scheme. The agenda was postponed in that meeting as the members objected, asking why the scheme was launched without getting approval from the Executive Board. Finalisation of rates and applications for plots had not been approved, the board members said. It was also objected that the regular layout plan of the scheme had not been approved.
The authority initially hired a consultant firm for the layout plan, but later the contract was cancelled and an in-house layout plan was drawn up. The former DG took the stand in the meeting that he had the authority to launch the scheme. The authority was given to him by the Executive Board. The board rejected his stand and stated that it was a misrepresentation as the board had not given him any such authority. They are only empowered to take measures to implement the scheme and had no authority to launch the F-12 and G-12 schemes. The board also stated that the authority had no powers to collect registration fee for allotment of plots. The board had not yet approved the layout plan, and cost estimate had not been approved. Therefore, there was no possibility of allotment of plots in G-12 and F-12 sectors. The Executive Board members said there were legal issues also. The board directed that a mechanism should be made to refund the amount received for allotment of plots. Now the authority is evolving a mechanism for refund of the amount received. Applicants said the authority had asked for requests by advertising it in newspapers and now it was unjustified to return the money.