Senate panel forms body to report on CDA, FGEHF issues

Expresses surprise that, even after 15 years, people did not know the location of the plots they have bought

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Functional Committee on Government Assurances on Monday expressed surprise that even after 15 years people did not know the location of the plots they have bought and no development work had been carried out by the Capital Development Authority (CDA).

The committee was given briefing on the disputes between the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and Federal Government Employees Housing Foundation (FGEHF) regarding the problems of Sector G-14 housing project of the housing foundation.

Senator Muhammad Tahir Khan Bizenjo chairing the meeting held at the Parliament House formed a sub-committee to report on issues between CDA and FGEHF.

The sub-committee has Senator Fida Muhammad as convener and senators Asad Ashraf and Abida Muhammad Azeem as members to investigate the issues and present report to the committee.

Regarding the permission to the allottees of Sector G-14/3 to construct their houses, housing secretary told the committee that 680 allottees have been given permission and some have already submitted their building plans.

Other issues relating to development work and construction and built-up properties were also being expedited, the secretary said.

Regarding construction of double road between sectors G-13 and G-14, the committee was told that compliance of the assurance given by Ministry of Housing and Works had been made and construction work had been completed.

Interior ministry officials informed the committee that members of Federal Employees Cooperative Housing Society (FECHS) who had paid total amount for plots in Jinnah Garden will get allotment letters and possession of plots when layout plans of the project were approved.

The committee was told that under the joint venture of National Assembly’s housing society and Jinnah Garden, the former paid Rs430 million for 1,097 plots on 656 kanals of land but so far only possession of only 363 plots had been given and had been made to despite payment. The committee referred this matter to the same sub-committee constituted earlier.

Employment quota

The Senate committee was told by the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Azam Swati, that the government was fully committed to bring the Constitutional Amendment regarding employment quota but the measure had to be initiated by the Ministry of Law and Justice.

The committee observed that the quota according Cabinet Committee for Disposal of Legislative Cases (CCLC) was not being implemented in the newly-merged tribal districts.

The officials from Ministry of Law and Justice replied it should not be distributed in the whole country, but only in areas where it was needed.

The committee observed that reservation on quota extension can be accepted only once all areas received equal opportunities of development and education. The committee decided to hear the Minister of Law and Justice on the matter and to call another meeting in the same week.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 2^nd, 2019.