Opposition appeased: Defence housing bill passed amidst criticism

Opposition agrees to a 50/50 ownership of military, civilian management of DHA.

ISLAMABAD:

The National Assembly on Monday passed the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) Islamabad Bill 2013 amid calls for not burdening armed forces with the management of housing authority’s affairs.

The bill, which asked for a separate residential area for military personnel and their families, was challenged by the key opposition which had said that the bill was in violation of the Constitution because land allocation fell under the provincial government’s control.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, the main opposition party which had earlier warned the government it will ‘physically block’ the controversial bill, justified its support in the assembly for the amended version of the bill, saying “our concerns have been addressed.”

Nisar revealed that government’s insistence over the passage of controversial bill led his party to approach Secretary Defence and the GHQ to highlight legal and constitutional violations in the bill.

“I am glad that defence authorities acknowledged and addressed our concerns; but this part should have been played by the government,” said Nisar, adding that we had demanded that the scheme should be exclusively for the army personnel, however, have now agreed on a 50% quota for civilians.

While commending the role of the military administration for accommodating the opposition’s concerns, Nisar lamented: “Had we been able to negotiate with the government instead of people at the General Headquarters, it would have been the beauty of democracy.”

He also revealed that a team of federal ministers agreed with the opposition’s viewpoint that the bill violated the constitution, but had expressed their helplessness as their leadership was hell-bent on passing it in its original form.

“All the changes in the bill are due to the position taken by the PML-N,” Nisar said while pointing out that it has also happened for the first time that a civilian has been made member of the board of governors of the housing authority.

Bushra Gohar of the ANP said that the army should not be burdened with such assignments. “Are they to run the affairs of a housing authority, or guard the borders?”

MQM walks out

Dr Abdul Kadir Khanzada of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement lodged a protest against the statement of  Sindh Education Minister Pir Mazharul Haq opposing the establishment of a university in Hyderabad. The MQM staged a walkout in protest against his statements and demanded an apology from the minister. “If our demands are not met, we will walk out from the house every single day,” warned an MQM lawmaker.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 26^th, 2013.