Housing society scam: NA body’s report challenged in IHC

Former deputy commissioner calls the findings ‘not based on facts’.

ISLAMABAD: Findings of a report on a housing scam were disputed in court on Friday. Former deputy commissioner Asadullah Faiz moved the Islamabad High Court (IHC), challenging a report detailing irregularities in the National Assembly Employees Cooperative Housing Society (NAECHS) scheme.

According to the report, Faiz was one of the employees involved in the irregularities, which took place in the management of plots. He also allegedly purchased “unsuitable land in Zone-V” for the society.

In a writ petition to the IHC, Convener Special Committee NAECHS, Chairman NA Standing Committee on House and Library and Secretary Establishment Division were made respondents.

The petitioner contended that on February 4, Special Committee on NAECHS wrongly included him in the list of people involved in irregularities. He told the court that during his tenure, he was asked by the society through a letter of chief commissioner written in April 2009 to purchase the land in Zone-V.

Faiz said that the report, which was prepared by
the committee “was not based on facts.”

His lawyer said, “The permission to purchase the land was granted by the Administrator National Assembly Employees Cooperative Housing Society.”

The counsel for the petitioner told the court that according to the Cooperatives Societies rules 27 and 54, the registrar of the society
and deputy commissioner
had been allowed to purchase the land.

“A ruling after the annual general meeting of the society members which barred further sale held no authority,” he said.

Faiz said that the Special Committee to probe into NAECHS chaired by Sheikh Waqas Akram had no authority to issue directions of suspension and initiate disciplinary action against him.

He also said that the committee did not contact him for any information during the process of investigation. He asked the court to declare the report presented by the Special Committee on NAECHS illegal, null and void.

Justice Riaz Ahmed Khan of IHC issued notice to the Convenor Special Committee NAECHS Sheikh Waqas Akram, Chairman National Assembly Standing Committee on Housing and Library Faisal Karim
Kundi and Secretary Establishment Division.

The court also directed the authorities to hold back any action against the petitioner, as recommended by the report, until the case was decided.

The National Assembly on February 4 had adopted a report of a house body holding 11 individuals, including government officials and private realtors, responsible for financial irregularities and embezzlement in the National Assembly Employees Cooperative Housing Society.

Former Deputy Commissioner Asadullah Faiz is one of them. He also overturned the decision of the society’s annual general meeting for purchase of land in Zone V and moved a proposal for buying unsuitable land at a cost of Rs90 million.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 12^th, 2011.