Azam Swati. PHOTO: PPI
FECHS has delayed the project for 17 years leaving allotees waiting in vain for their plots.
Swati said he would lodge an FIR against the housing society if the work does not start in due time. “FECHS Jinnah Garden project issue will be taken to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), if the society does not start development of the project lying pending for over 17 years,” he warned.
He was expressing his views at the Senate Functional Committee on Government Assurances.
The meeting of the Committee was held under its Convener Senator Fida Muhammad at the Parliament Lodges on Friday.
The Senate panel directed the Federal Employees Cooperative Housing Society (FECHS) secretary to give 150 developed plots to allottees in Jinnah Garden within 60 days.
The committee also discussed the issues of the layout plan of the FECHS and dispute between the society and the Capital Development Authority (CDA).
The convenor of the sub-committee said the committee had given assurance that 150 developed plots would be allotted within 60 days, but it had not done so.
Senator Fida said that many employees of the Senate and National Assembly had booked plots in Jinah Gardens and paid their instalments regularly, but they have yet to get possession of the land.
“Many people retired and some have died waiting for the plots in Jinnah Gardens in spite of making full payment for the land,” Fida said.
The FECHS had sought time from the Senate sub-committee in July and August too, but did not deliver the plots.
The meeting discussed the issue of not providing the possession of the plots in FECHS Jinnah Garden to alottees including the employees of Senate and National Assembly.
The representative of FECHS said that many issues of the society were caught in red-tape at Capital Development Authority (CDA). The authority has yet to clear the layout plan of the society, he said. Development work will start soon after CDA clears the layout plan, he added.
The CDA representative however said that so far FECHS has not submitted the attested copies of land lease, mutation and other documents. He said once the society submits the mandatory documents, CDA will publish an advertisement asking people if they have any objection they may submit it within 15 days. Once this process is complete then things will move ahead.
The finance secretary of the housing society said that they had submitted the copy earlier; if they told them on that time to submit the attested copy then they would have submitted it.
Federal Minister Azam Sawati said CDA would have to change its mindset. “When will CDA understand that all institutions are working for Pakistan and its people. When will the departments start helping each other,” he said.
Committee’s Convenor Senator Fida said that it was a farce that government employees have been denied their rights by a government agency. “What would happen to ordinary people if the public servants were being treated like this?” the senator boomed. People have been disgusted waiting for more than 17 years for their plots in Jinnah Gardens and all they have was mere talks and papers.
He further said that people have retired but the land has not yet been given to them.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 21st, 2019.
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