Govt to allocate smaller official residences, K-P PA told

A lawmaker in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly recommended to the government on Monday to allocate one-kanal houses to the provincial ministers and the chief secretary, instead of sprawling eight-kanal residences.

A provincial minister agreed to the proposal from Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) lawmaker Nighat Orakzai and said that the government would allocate smaller houses not only to the ministers and chief secretary but also to other high-ranking officials in the province.

The session was presided over by Panel of Chairman Idris Khattak. On behalf of the provincial assembly, Orkazai demanded of the federal government to return the Himalaya House in Nathiagali and the Fata House to the province.

Labour Minister Shaukat Yousafzai said that at least Rs500 million should be allocated for residential colonies for the government employees. He added that the government intended to construct new residences for government employees under the annual development Plan.

The old houses spread over five to eight kanals, he told the session. While agreeing to the suggestion of the member, he said that the size of official residences would be reduced.

“The ministers, chief secretary and other government officers should be restricted to live in one-kanal houses to save the place and accommodate maximum people in the government accommodations,” he said.

(With input from APP)

Published in The Express Tribune, July 26^th, 2022.