Islamabad, September 28, 2022 (PPI-OT):The Standing Committee on Housing and Works directs Director General Estate Department to get completed long outstanding survey of all those Federal Government Owned Residential Accommodations (FGORAs); having additional constructions or subletting by the allottees, take appropriate actions with the help of all the concerned departments such as PWD, CDA and ICT and submit report to the Committee at the earliest.

21st meeting of the Standing Committee on Housing and Works held today at 11:00 a.m. in the Parliament House, Islamabad, under the Chairmanship of Dr. Ibadullah, MNA. During the course of discussion on non-completion of long outstanding survey of FGORAs; having additional constructions and subletting by the allottees, the DG, Estate Department, informed the Committee that pursuant to the directions of the Committee, survey of Sectors G-6, G-7 and F-6 Islamabad was conducted. During visit of 3229 houses, additional construction in 1224 houses was found while 262 houses were found to be partially sublet.

Taking cognizance of the matter, allotments of 108 sublet houses were cancelled while efforts for cancellation of remaining sublet houses were underway. The Committee; expressing concern over additional constructions in the Government Houses vis-à-vis subletting, directed the DG, Estate Department, to take appropriate actions with the help of all the concerned departments such as PWD, CDA and ICT and submit report to the Committee at the earliest.

On the issue of commercial units (petrol pumps and shops) leased out by Estate Department, the Committee noted that the lease period of 20 years; being very long span, needs to be shortened as the same will also help increase rental income of the Department.

Referring to a decision of the Hon. Supreme Court of Pakistan, the management of Estate Office was directed by the Committee to ensure revision and enhancement of rental charges of these commercial units as per market rates on annual basis instead of conservative enhancement basis of 10% annually. The DG, Estate Department, was further directed by the Committee to provide detailed report of all the commercial units with their locations and rental charges in the next meeting.

The Committee was told by the DG, Pak. PWD, that no Work Charged Employees (WCEs) was recruited by PWD during last four years except under daily wages. Regarding the issue of late completion of development schemes of the Hon.

MNAs/MPAs by the PWD, the Committee directed the DG, PWD, to issue necessary instructions to all the XENs to ensure timely completion of these development schemes and in future, completion certificate of these schemes under question may be issued subject to satisfaction by the concerned Hon. MNA/MPA.

About the comparison of rates being charged by the PWD and the other Government department; both the Federal Government Departments and the Provincial Government Departments, on account of development schemes of the hon.

MNAs/MPAs, the DG, PWD, informed the Committee that their rates were lessor as compared to other departments. The Committee pended the matter with the decision to discuss the same in next meeting.

The Senior Joint Secretary of the Ministry briefed the Committee about the background, functions, projects completed and in-hand, business efforts/constraints and current/ongoing business details of Pakistan Environmental Planning and Architectural Consultants (PEPAC).

He held that though the Company was created with a great idea but its functions remained interrupted due to its continuous shifting from one Ministry to another. The Committee noted that Ministry of Planning and Development was more suitable Ministry for the Company instead of Ministry of Housing and Works, thus, recommended the Ministry to take up the matter with the relevant Ministry i.e. Ministry of Planning and Development.

Besides the Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Works (Syed Mehmood Shah, MNA), the meeting was attended by Mr. Azhar Qayyum Nahra, Mr. Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, Ms. Seema Mohiuddin Jameeli, Jam Abdul Karim Bijar, Mr. Salahuddin, Mr. Muhammad Abu Bakar, Makhdoom Syed Sami-ul-Hassan Gillani and Ms. Wajiha Qamar, MNAs/Members.

The senior officers of Ministry of Housing and Works, PEPAC, Pak. PWD, and Estate Office were also present in the meeting. The Senior Joint Secretary of the Ministry briefed the Committee about the background, functions, projects completed and in-hand, business efforts/constraints and current/ongoing business details of Pakistan Environmental Planning and Architectural Consultants (PEPAC). He held that though the Company was created with a great idea but its functions remained interrupted due to its continuous shifting from one Ministry to another.

The Committee noted that Ministry of Planning and Development was more suitable Ministry for the Company instead of Ministry of Housing and Works, thus, recommended the Ministry to take up the matter with the relevant Ministry i.e. Ministry of Planning and Development.

Besides the Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Works (Syed Mehmood Shah, MNA), the meeting was attended by Mr. Azhar Qayyum Nahra, Mr. Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, Ms. Seema Mohiuddin Jameeli, Jam Abdul Karim Bijar, Mr. Salahuddin, Mr. Muhammad Abu Bakar, Makhdoom Syed Sami-ul-Hassan Gillani and Ms. Wajiha Qamar, MNAs/Members. The senior officers of Ministry of Housing and Works, PEPAC, Pak. PWD, and Estate Office were also present in the meeting.

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