ISLAMABAD: The revival of the policy of two plots in Islamabad for every federal secretary, BS-22 officer and Supreme Court judges by the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is the negation of Public Accounts Committee (PAC)’s recommendation and contrary to what the PML-N election manifesto pledged in 2013. In its election manifesto, announced before 2013 general elections, the PML-N had promised housing for low income families but after coming into power, the N-government has generously allocating state resources to the most influential. The PML-N’s manifesto committed, “Special financial institutions and arrangements will also be made to expand, in cooperation with the provincial governments, housing 15 facilities especially for lower middle income groups. At least 1,000 clusters of 500 houses, each for lower income families, will be developed on a public-private partnership mode, and the industry will be encouraged to expand investment and to provide employment opportunities in the adjoining areas. The PML-N would strive to eventually provide a house to each Pakistani family through public-private partnership by expanding credit facilities for low-income housing and encouraging provincial governments to provide land for such housing schemes.” Although provision of house for every poor Pakistani remains a far cry, the authorities like Federal Employees Housing Foundation and Capital Development Authority are now made by the prime minister to plan the provision of second residential plot in Islamabad to a high number of federal secretaries, BS-22 officer and SC judges. The total number of such entitled officers is said to be in hundreds. In addition to the PML-N own manifesto, it was the Public Accounts Committee during the last government which had recommended the discontinuation of the policy of allotment of second residential plot to federal secretaries, BS-22 officers and judges. PAC, which was also represented by the PML-N MPs, besides finding it the wastage of public money, had also dubbed it discriminatory but now the prime minister has revived the controversial policy. PAC had also recommended the government to consider measures for cancellation/refund of prices of plot from officer who may have allotted more than two plots anywhere in Pakistan as the committee had found that the baboos have been collecting several plots during their service in different parts of the country. Although ignored by the last PPP government as well, the committee recommendation also envisaged that provision of plots of land by the government to judges and journalists could lead to allegation of partiality or bias in their working; therefore, there should be no special quotas for allotment of plots except for disabled, widows and families of martyrs.
