FGEHF has taken money without acquisition of land. PHOTO: FILE
The ombudsman also recommended withdrawal of all consent letters issued to members of housing scheme and to form a comprehensive strategy for the acquisition of land. The decision would benefit 32,000 members who deposited money.
An official at the federal ombudsman secretariat told The Express Tribune that around 12 federal government employees lodged complaints against the housing scheme a few months ago.
“They complained they were kept in the dark and various facts were not shared with them,” he said.
Moreover, according to the complainants, the land acquisition notification for the housing scheme has been withdrawn by the Islamabad Capital Territory Authority.
“The complainants further submitted that the agency’s action to issue consent letters without land acquisition and clarifying the schedule of payments, and that development charges to their members was not justified and was tantamount to maladministration,” he added.
Meanwhile, according to a statement issued by the Federal Ombudsman, Senior Law Adviser Hafiz Ahsaan Ahmed Khokhar and the registrar held three hearings, during which officials of the Federal Government Housing Foundation apprised that the original acquisition of Bara Kahu scheme was 6,932 kanals, and that the administration later decided to purchase another 14,611 kanals in the same area.
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Khokhar observed that the housing foundation issued consent letters to all 32,000 members without giving them a specific schedule of payments and without telling them the actual cost of land and development charges, which would lead to chaos.
Khokhar decided that the agency may withdraw all consent letters issued and to refund any amounts paid in the next 30 days.
It was noted that consent letters were issued without acquiring the proposed land in the area and the members were asked to deposit amounts against different categories of plots without actual schedules of payment and development charges in an unjustified manner.
They contended that since the housing scheme works on “no profit-no loss basis”, the only way to generate funds was to collect money from members. Therefore, the foundation is compelled to ask members to make down payments for plots to be allotted after purchase and acquisition of land.
“No provisional letters will be issued in future until the subject matter is placed before the agency’s board for an appropriate decision in the interest of the members,” the ombudsman said.
It was also directed that a comprehensive strategy may be designed for acquisition of land and its all development costs for the members and that the same may be circulated to all members.
“The agenda of subject matter may be circulated to all members of the board 15 days prior to the board meeting in case of land acquisition for the members,” the order said.
The ombudsman has recommended setting up a cell for public complaints and for issuance of refunds to non-entitled members.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 30th, 2016.
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