By Ali Imran
ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Housing and Works, chaired by Senator Nasir Mehmood, convened Thursday in Islamabad to review agenda items related to land vacation, payment of salaries, government accommodation, and the installation of lifts at Shaheed-e-Millat.
The Chairman of the Committee observed that a total of five Secretaries of Housing and Works had been posted and subsequently transferred during the current year.
He expressed serious concern over the frequent reshuffling on the position of Secretary Housing, noting that such instability adversely affects the Ministry’s functioning.
The Chairman emphasized the need to retain a dedicated officer for an adequate period to ensure continuity and the efficient disposal of the Ministry’s work.
The Committee expressed serious concern over the non-payment of salaries for the past five months to 15 lower-grade employees of the Central Civil Division-I, Pak PWD, Lahore.
It was noted that the delay resulted from the non-implementation of several administrative order The Committee urged the concerned authorities to resolve the matter on priority and ensure timely disbursement of salaries to the affected employees.
It was further informed that payments for 162 employees are still pending. The Committee was requested to facilitate the adjustment of surrendered employees from Pak PWD to other departments to ensure continuity of service and timely resolution of their financial grievances.
It was revealed that a discrepancy had emerged at the land of Pak PWD, Lahore. The Assistant Commissioner informed the Committee that although the payment had been transferred, 496 kanals, out of which 296 kanals were declared null and void by the court.
On the other side, it was informed that the no payment has been made in the adjustment of the land to Pak PWD. Additionally, 132 kanals had been acquired by the Board of Revenue in Lahore, which subsequently established a housing society on the said land.
The Chairman directed the Member, Board of Revenue, to resolve the matter between Pak PWD and the Board of Revenue at the earliest. He further expressed concern over the prolonged delays in settling the issue.
The Committee also reviewed the issue concerning 37 kanals of land of Constantia Lodge, which is claimed to be the property of the Ministry of Housing and Works in Murree. The Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) ADCR, Murree assured the Committee that the matter would be thoroughly examined. It was further informed that 7 kanals of the encroached land have already been retrieved from land grabbers.
The Chairman reaffirmed that the land at Murree legally belongs to Pak PWD. The DPO briefed the Committee that a total of five FIRs have been registered in connection with the encroachment, leading to the arrest of nine individuals. The case is currently under trial, and the Court has summoned the officers involved in the land vacation process.
The I.G. Punjab Police informed the Committee that all 12 residential units of Wafaqi Colony, Lahore, have been vacated and handed over to the concerned authority. The pending dues amounting to Rs. 30 million have also been fully paid.
The Committee was briefed on the status of the tender for the installation and maintenance of lifts, which has been awarded to two firms.
The project involves the opening of an LC and the import of certain components required for the operation of the lifts. The total cost of the project is Rs. 94 million, out of which Rs. 8 million has already been released. The sponsoring agency for the project is the Ministry of Housing and Works.
The Member CDA informed the Committee that two lifts had been repaired at CDA’s expense, while two additional lifts require complete replacement. Housing and Works representatives stated that Rs. 54 million has been allocated for the remaining work; however, CDA estimated that the tentative cost would be around Rs. 90 million.
It was decided that CDA would forward the relevant documents, along with the updated cost estimates, to the Ministry of Housing and Works for allocation of the revised funding. The Chairman of the Committee emphasized the need to ensure the installation of the lifts within two weeks.
The Committee was informed that the ongoing project of Islamabad Jail, with a total cost of Rs. 7.4 billion, has already received Rs. 4 billion in funding. Approximately 90% of the work on the barracks and hospital has been completed; however, the allocated amount is insufficient to finalize the project. The Committee directed the Planning Division to release an additional allocated funds of Rs. 2.6 billion in January to ensure the timely completion of the project.
The meeting was attended by Senators Bilal Ahmed Khan, Jan Muhammad, Khalida Ateeb, Husna Bano, Hidayatullah Khan and Senator Shahdat Awan.
Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Works, representatives of the Estate Office, FGEHA, Capital Development project (CDA), the Ministry of Planning, Development & Special Initiatives, and the Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Finance and Revenue, among others, were in present.
