138 projects being transferred to provinces, Senate body told

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Housing and Works was informed on Tuesday that Pak PWD is in the process of transferring 138 projects to provincial governments, with 27 already handed over. Of these projects, 42 are designated for Punjab, 26 for Sindh, 57 for Balochistan, and 13 for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The committee, chaired by Senator Nasir Mehmood, convened at Parliament House on Tuesday.

The secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Works said that since September, provincial governments have been instructed to take responsibility for these projects. Although the provinces are not fully prepared, they are now accountable for the transferred projects.

Senator Nasir Mehmood questioned the rationale behind initiating numerous projects without adequate funding, suggesting it would be wiser to focus on completing existing projects first. He said that the government’s current financial constraints have imposed restrictions on new initiatives.

The additional secretary of finance confirmed that measures are under consideration to secure funding for developmental projects. He said that some newly initiated projects might be closed to prioritise those nearing completion.

The committee also discussed the allocation of housing plots for journalists within Ministry of Housing projects. The aecretary of Housing and Works informed the committee that 245 plots had already been allotted to journalists in sectors G-13 and G-14 under a designated quota.

However, some individuals had challenged this policy, prompting the ministry to withdraw its summary. Officials clarified that new names would be allocated once submitted by the ministry.In response to complaints, the Ministry of Information had established a committee on February 1, 2024, to address grievances, including representatives from the journalist community.

The journalists’ representatives raised objections to the merit list, stating that although a seniority list was created over nine years, it was withdrawn, and a new list has not been issued in the past 10 months. They urged the ministry to use existing data to assign plots based on seniority, ensuring a merit-based process.

The committee chairman recommended that the ministry form a new committee to address the issue and suggested seeking a solution within a month.During the meeting, the issue of the revocation of a Senate employee’s widow’s house allotment, which she has been without since September 2023, was raised. The allotment, originally granted to her late husband, was revoked without legal justification.

The director general of the Estate Office said that, by law, the widow is entitled to retain the residence until her husband’s retirement date, though she must join the general waiting list afterward.

He emphasised that the actions were based on legal requirements, not personal preferences. Supporting the widow’s case, the committee chairman proposed forming a two-member subcommittee to resolve the matter, asserting that the widow should maintain possession of the allotted residence.T

he meeting was attended by Senator Raja Nasir Abbas, Senator Bilal Ahmed Khan, Senator Muhammad Aslam Abro, Senator Haji Hidayatullah Khan, the secretary of Housing and Works, and senior officials from relevant departments.