The Senate Standing Committee on Housing and Works, chaired by Senator Nasir Mehmood, convened today at Parliament House. During the meeting, the issue of revocation of allotment of house of a Senate employee’s widow, who has been without support since September 2023, was raised. The allotment granted to her late husband was revoked without legal justification. The Director General of the Estate Office noted that, under the law, the widow is entitled to retain the residence until the employee's retirement, although she would need to join the general waiting list according to legal requirements. He emphasized that the actions taken were based on legal stipulations rather than personal preferences. Supporting the complainant (widow), the Committee Chairman proposed forming a two-member subcommittee to resolve the matter, asserting that the widow should maintain possession of the allotment. Furthermore, it was reported that Pak PWD is in the process of transferring 138 projects to provincial governments, with 27 already handed over. A total of 42 projects are designated for Punjab, 26 for Sindh, 57 for Balochistan, and 13 for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The Secretary, (Ministry of Housing and Works) noted that provincial governments have been instructed since September to take responsibility for these projects. Although the provincial authorities are not fully prepared, they are now accountable. Additionally, Senator Nasir Mehmood also questioned the rationale behind initiating so many projects without adequate funding, suggesting it would be more prudent to complete existing projects first. He noted that the government's current financial challenges have led to restrictions on new initiatives. The Additional Secretary of Finance confirmed that measures are being considered to secure funding for developmental projects while also contemplating the closure of several newly initiated projects to prioritize those nearing completion. The committee also addressed the allocation of housing plots for journalists within the Ministry of Housing projects.

The Secretary (Ministry of Housing and Works) informed the committee that 245 plots had already been allotted to journalists in sectors G-13 and G-14 under a designated quota, however, some individuals petitioned against this policy, leading the ministry to withdraw its summary. Officials clarified that new names would be allocated once submitted by the ministry. Similarly, in response to the many complaints, the Ministry of Information established a committee on February 1, 2024 to address grievances, which included five journalist representatives. The journalists’ representatives highlighted that although the ministry created a seniority list over nine years, it has since withdrawn it and has not produced a new one in the last ten months. They urged the Ministry to use its existing data to assign plots based on seniority to ensure a fully merit-based process. The Committee Chairman recommended that the Ministry form a new committee to tackle the issue and suggested seeking a solution within a month. The meeting was attended by Senator Raja Nasir Abbas, Senator Bilal Ahmed Khan, Senator Muhammad Aslam Abro, Senator Haji Hidayatullah Khan, The Secretary (Ministry of Housing and Works) and the senior officials from the relevant departments.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan