Islamabad, June 19, 2023 (PPI-OT): A meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Housing and Works was held on Monday at Parliament House, Islamabad. The meeting was chaired by Senator Haji Hidayatullah and was attended by Senator Falak Naz, Senator Khalida Ateeb, Senator Fida Muhammad, Senator Saifullah Abro, Senator Afnanullah Khan, Senator Molana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri and senior officers of the Ministry of Housing and Works along with its attached departments and agencies.

Matters discussed included; status of affidavits of officers received from PWD undertaking they owned no residence in Islamabad; briefing on the legal opinion obtained by the Ministry of Law and Justice regarding cancellation of existing lease agreements at any stage or otherwise prior to the completion of lease period pertaining to commercial business properties in Karachi; detailed report pertaining to 8200 Kanals land of SCBAP and property wise BUP details on account of payments made along with complete details of hiring process of M/S Urban Unit Lahore as Surveyor.

While discussing status of affidavits of officers received from PWD undertaking they owned no residence in Islamabad the Committee was informed that out of a total of 55 persons 49 had submitted the required document whereas five of these have retired one has voluntarily vacated the accommodation. The matter has been 100 percent complied.

Briefing on the legal opinion obtained by the Ministry of Law and Justice regarding cancellation of existing lease agreements at any stage or otherwise prior to the completion of lease period pertaining to commercial business properties in Karachi, the Committee was informed by the Ministry of Law and Justice that it cannot give any specific advice regarding the matter since the issue is vast. It further added that the rental laws of the province would have to be revisited to provide any insight on the subject. The Estate Office informed the Committee that subletting of property/site/location; selling or mortgaging of property, transfer of said plot without prior permission of lessor, entering a partnership and rent default. A total of 09 petrol pump sites and 216 federal shops are available in Karachi. The Committee was further informed that Shop Rental Auction Policy 2017 is in force wherein procedure of Auction is elaborated and adopted accordingly. The Auction Committee has already been constituted by the Ministry of Housing and Works.

Deliberating over details pertaining to 8200 Kanals land of SCBAP and property wise BUP details on account of payments, the Committee deferred the matter due to the fact that the briefing of agendas lacked important information. The Committee directed the Ministry to come prepared in the next meeting and brief it on both the agendas in detail.

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