'32 Pakistan govt-owned abandoned properties spotted'
Premier for auctioning these properties, use money to construct low-cost houses
A family rides a camel past the construction of an office building and mall complex on Clifton beach in Karachi, Pakistan. PHOTO: REUTERS
ISLAMABAD:
Prime Minister Imran Khan has been informed that 32 federal government-owned abandoned properties worth billions of rupees have been identified in major cities for their onward auction to generate revenue for spending on public welfare.
PM Imran chaired a meeting on Thursday to discuss the progress on utilisation of federal government’s unused properties.
Minister for Economic Affairs Hammad Azhar, Minister for Maritime Affairs Syed Ali Haider Zaidi, Privatisation Minister Mohammadmian Soomro, Special Assistants to Prime Minister Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, Syed Zulfiqar Ali Bukhari and Nadeem Afzal Chan, federal secretaries of the ministries concerned and other senior officers attended the meeting.
The privatisation secretary said that properties had been identified in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi with their estimated worth in billions.
He told the meeting that out of 32 identified properties, 27 were available, while the process of recovery from illegal occupation and completion of ownership documents for the rest five was in progress.
The premier was told that investors and overseas Pakistanis had shown keen interest in the said properties in an expo held in Dubai this month.
He said after fulfilling all formalities, the schedule for their auction would be finalised and a local and international advertisement campaign would be launched in the first week of January.
The prime minister expressed his satisfaction on the overall process and said the revenue generated from the auction of abandoned properties located on key locations in major cities would help in the construction of low-cost houses, schools and hospitals.
The prime minister also instructed the authorities concerned to share the information regarding the abandoned properties with Naya Pakistan Housing Authority so that it could be used for provision of houses to low-salaried persons.
The premier directed all the ministries to amend their rules to ensure the utilisation of abandoned properties for public welfare and furnish report to cabinet within a week for early completion of the process.
He also called for recovery of government land from illegal occupation and complete documentation of their ownership in coordination with the provincial governments.
Naya Pakistan Housing Authority chairman apprised the premier about the progress on the construction of low-cost housing units for the poor.
He said the construction of high-rise buildings in slums located in different cities would not only resolve the housing problems of the slum dwellers but also enable the government to spend revenue generated from the construction of commercial plazas for building low-cost houses for the poor.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 13th, 2019.
Prime Minister Imran Khan has been informed that 32 federal government-owned abandoned properties worth billions of rupees have been identified in major cities for their onward auction to generate revenue for spending on public welfare.
PM Imran chaired a meeting on Thursday to discuss the progress on utilisation of federal government’s unused properties.
Minister for Economic Affairs Hammad Azhar, Minister for Maritime Affairs Syed Ali Haider Zaidi, Privatisation Minister Mohammadmian Soomro, Special Assistants to Prime Minister Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, Syed Zulfiqar Ali Bukhari and Nadeem Afzal Chan, federal secretaries of the ministries concerned and other senior officers attended the meeting.
The privatisation secretary said that properties had been identified in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi with their estimated worth in billions.
He told the meeting that out of 32 identified properties, 27 were available, while the process of recovery from illegal occupation and completion of ownership documents for the rest five was in progress.
The premier was told that investors and overseas Pakistanis had shown keen interest in the said properties in an expo held in Dubai this month.
He said after fulfilling all formalities, the schedule for their auction would be finalised and a local and international advertisement campaign would be launched in the first week of January.
The prime minister expressed his satisfaction on the overall process and said the revenue generated from the auction of abandoned properties located on key locations in major cities would help in the construction of low-cost houses, schools and hospitals.
The prime minister also instructed the authorities concerned to share the information regarding the abandoned properties with Naya Pakistan Housing Authority so that it could be used for provision of houses to low-salaried persons.
The premier directed all the ministries to amend their rules to ensure the utilisation of abandoned properties for public welfare and furnish report to cabinet within a week for early completion of the process.
He also called for recovery of government land from illegal occupation and complete documentation of their ownership in coordination with the provincial governments.
Naya Pakistan Housing Authority chairman apprised the premier about the progress on the construction of low-cost housing units for the poor.
He said the construction of high-rise buildings in slums located in different cities would not only resolve the housing problems of the slum dwellers but also enable the government to spend revenue generated from the construction of commercial plazas for building low-cost houses for the poor.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 13th, 2019.