LAHORE, Sept 29: The provincial government has decided to grant 'right of construction' to journalists on their plots in the Zafar Ali Khan Housing Colony in Harbansbura.

The decision was taken at a meeting on Monday which was attended by Punjab Information Department high-ups, including its Secretary Orya Maqbool Jan, and was presided over by chief minister's special assistant Pervaiz Rashid.

After the meeting, Mr Rashid told Dawn that the government has taken the decision to end controversies regarding the scheme by handing over the plots to journalists at the earliest so that they could start construction work there.

He said to get official permission for initiating construction work the journalists should approach the Information Department with their plot numbers.

He said the meeting has decided to put a ban on the sale of the plots for a specific period which could range from 10 to 15 years.

He said the meeting was informed that 300 to 400 plots were being acquired for the scheme to accommodate more journalists and process in this regard was underway.

Regarding encroachments in the colony, Pervaiz Rashid maintained that most of the encroachers had obtained stay-order and the government would go by the court orders.