Government employees in Islamabad have been found to sublet their allotted houses.
According to some reports, there is a shortage of about 35,000 housing units in the Islamabad. This shortage of houses makes the prospect of subletting very lucrative.
Government employees, especially from grade 5-15, rent out their allotted residences to private individuals and choose to live elsewhere, mostly with their relatives. Such steps, though unlawful, give a boost to their meagre salaries.
Nawabdin, who works with an auction house in Islamabad, said he had to move from Adiala Road, Rawalpindi because of his job. “My meagre salary does not allow me to spend Rs150 per day on a taxi. On my request my boss arranged for a government residence through his acquaintance.”
He added, “It is beneficial for both of us, the government employee needs money and it got me rid of exorbitant transport fare.”
Saving every which way
Then there are those federal employees who save money by not utilising the entire amount of rent they are entitled to. They find cheaper accommodations to live in and utilise the money they save elsewhere.
Naeem is one such government employee, who lives in G-9 flats meant for grade 5 officials.
“My family usually stays at our ancestors’ house in Jhelum and most of the time I live alone here. It doesn’t trouble me to live in a two-room flat on the third floor. Whatever I save from this ceiling, I invest in the education of children and thanks to Allah they are studying in better schools.”
Published in The Express Tribune, April 18th, 2011.
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