Senate panel addresses housing conditions, allotment issues

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Committee on Housing and Works reflected on its recent visit to Karachi and raised concerns about the neglected state of Qasr-e-Naz.

The Senate Standing Committee on Housing and Works was presided over by Chairman Senator Nasir Mehmood here on Wednesday. The Secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Works informed the Senate panel that the recovery of illegal occupation of the 3-acre plot located behind the Women’s Hostel in the Karachi Garden area has stopped due to resistance from certain authorities. Chairman Nasir Mehmood emphasized the need to investigate the issue further and proposed convening a separate meeting to examine this issue in detail.

Informing the Senate panel on addressing the High Court directives, the Director General of the Federal Government Employees Housing Authority (FGEHA), stated that the launching of two new sectors has been adequately addressed. A design consultant for Sector F-12 has been engaged, and the design for Sector G-12 has already been completed.

The Committee reviewed the latest criteria for the allotment of housing to employees of FGEHA and the Ministry of Housing and Works. It was informed that FGEHA employees are eligible for allotment upon completing five years of regular service, while deputationists qualify after one year of service in FGEHA and 10 years of regular service in the federal government. Similarly, employees of the Ministry of Housing and Works qualify for allotment after 10 years of regular service. Those transferred to the Ministry are eligible after one year of service, provided they have completed 10 years of regular service in the federal government. The approved allotment quotas, as determined in 2009 by the cabinet stand at 1pc for FGEHA employees and 2pc for employees of the Ministry of Housing and Works.

Moreover, the Chairman expressed serious concerns over the Ministry’s failure to implement the Committee’s directives regarding the allotment of a residence to a widow. Following thorough discussion and cross-analysis, it was revealed that the individual currently occupying the allotment was not eligible. Consequently, his allotment will be cancelled, and the widow’s case will be reconsidered after condonation.