October 20, 2007	Saturday	Shawwal 7, 1428

ISLAMABAD, Oct 19: The subcommittee of the Senate Standing Committee on Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs on Friday recommended that the names of former chief executive and office- bearers of Gulshan-i-Rehman Housing Scheme (GRHS), accused of misappropriating funds, should be put on the Exit Control List (ECL).

On the other hand, the committee appreciated the work so far done by another housing scheme in Islamabad, Multi-Professional Cooperative Housing Society (MPCHS).

The committee, which met at the Parliament House, directed Security and Exchange Commission of Pakistan to expedite preparation of the audit report and probe into the alleged irregularities in the GRHS affairs.

Regarding MPCHS affairs, the committee gave 20 days time to the management of the society for submitting the amended engineering design with the CDA for issuance of No-Objection Certificate (NOC) for its two under-developed schemes in sectors F-17 and B-17.

It directed the Capital Development Authority (CDA), local administration and other relevant agencies to facilitate law abiding and efficient housing schemes in the federal capital so that members of these societies/schemes could be able to own a house there.

It asked the CDA and other departments to help such societies with a view to completing the procedural formalities expeditiously.

The committee also recommended relaxation of rules of such departments so that these schemes/societies could become a success story.

It was observed in the meeting that systems and procedures needed to be simplified.

“The trend in the government departments is hampering the public and acting as a disincentive. What we need today is efficient administration with simplified rules to promote a healthy environment with regard to housing and construction which has acquired the status of a full-fledged industry,” the committee members said.

The meeting reiterated to play its due role in overcoming the shortage of housing units in the country and provide plots to the people belonging to a fixed income group at reasonable rates.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, a court in Rawalpindi issued contempt notices to the management committee of Airport Employees Cooperative Housing Society (AECHS) for not implementing its order passed on October 5, 2007 and adjourned the matter till October 29.

Hearing the case and contempt application submitted by Chaudhry iftikhar Ahmed, a member of the housing society, Civil Judge Ambreen Qureshi expressed her displeasure over the non- implementation of the order and directed all respondents to submit written reply before the court as to “why the court order was not implemented”.

The applicant had told the court that the elections of the society were held on July 22, 2007 in violation of the previous order passed by the civil judge on July 18. According to the applicant even the notification of the election was issued by the district officer cooperative Rawalpindi in contravention of the by-laws and without prior approval of the competent authority.

The court had restrained the management committee of the Airport Employees Cooperative Housing Society (AECHS) from performing its functions through its order passed on October 5 till further order.