‘NPC to look after allotment of plots for journalists’

Islamabad: Interior Minister Shaikh Rashid Ahmad said that a committee comprising elected body of the National Press Club (NPC) would look after the affairs of allotment of residential plots/apartments allotted to the journalists working in Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

A delegation of the National Press Club comprising Shakeel Anjum, (President, NPC), Anwar Raza (Secretary), Sagheer Chaudhry (Finance Secretary), Tariq Mehmood Chaudhary (Former President, NPC), Shah Mohammad (Vice President) and senior journalists Abbas Shabbir and Awais Abbasi met with the Interior Minister to discuss about the proposed housing scheme of the journalists.

“This is our obligation to provided residential opportunity to the homeless journalists but those who have taken the advantage, should not be enlisted,” the minister said while talking to the delegation of the National Press Club. The execution of the journalist housing scheme would be initiated soon, the minister ensured the delegation.

The minister said that members from ministry of interior, Capital Development Authority (CDA) and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) would be included in the committee to ensure transparency in finalizing list of eligible journalists.

“Many people individually or in groups belonging to different schools of thoughts to offer their assistance for the selection of the journalist seeking plots but I believe that the National Press Club is the only suitable forum for the job,” Shaikh Rashid Ahmad said.

“The selection of the adequate and the journalists really called for shelters, should be compiled cautiously. The journalists who have already got plots or apartments, should not be allotted plots from this scheme,” the interior minister suggested.