Possession of plots: Ombudsman to take up Park Enclave, FGEHF allotment

Public issues relating to CDA will also be thrashed out

ISLAMABAD: With the civic agency slow to act on recommendations for handing over possession of plots to allottees of the Federal Government Employees Housing Foundation (FGEHF) in Park Enclave and in other areas of the federal capital, the federal ombudsman has called a meeting of all stakeholders next week.

According to a release from the federal ombudsman’s office, the meeting will review the progress on the implementation of the ombudsman’s findings and recommendations pertaining to the slow or non-development and failure in handing over possession of plots to allottees of Park Enclave Project, Sectors E-12, I-15, G-13, G-14/1,2,3, Bhara Kahu Phase-I and Phase-II, FGEHF’s projects in Karachi, the PHA Foundation Projects in Islamabad, Model Kurri Village and non-provision of civic amenities and maintenance of official accommodations in Sector G-13 and other developed sectors of Islamabad.

The meeting, set for October 26, expects to see the Ministry of Housing and Works secretary, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) chairman and senior members of the agency, Islamabad Municipal Corporation (IMC) chief office, senior officers of the Federal Ombudsman Secretariat including the secretary and senior advisor (Implementation) as well as FHEHF director general and PHA Foundation managing director participate.

The meeting will also thrash out other issues related to the CDA in the context of public grievances against the agency.

CDA-govt rift

Meanwhile, a rift has reportedly emerged between the CDA chairman and the government over the matter of appointing a legal advisor in the agency.

Sources say the CDA chairman has rejected the resignation tendered by Legal Advisor Kashif Malik, which he had submitted earlier in the week, and that Malik has been asked to continue working in the post.

Malik had reportedly tendered his resignation after senior members of the incumbent Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government had allegedly pressured the CDA chief to replace him with the Ministry of Law and Justice recommending the appointment of PTI leader Shahid Naseem Advocate in his stead.

The civic agency apparently rebutted all pressure, noting that they were satisfied with Malik’s performance since he had recently led the CDA to victory in some major cases.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 20^th, 2018.