ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary panel on Tuesday directed the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to devise a mechanism for highrise buildings, citing cases where plot owners would collect money from buyers prior to the completion of a building and fail to provide them the promised accommodation on time.

The Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat, which huddled at the Parliament House, directed the authority to strengthen its bylaws to properly monitor highrise buildings.

“The owners of highrise building should not be allowed to sell out apartments to citizens until they complete 60pc of the construction,” committee chairman Senator Talha Mahmood said.

What will be the fate of those who purchased flats in the under-construction Grand Hyatt hotel and residential apartment buildings whose plots have been cancelled by the CDA, Mr Mahmood asked. Committee members Shahi Syed and Mir Yousaf Badini supported Mr Mehmood, and cited examples of China and Dubai, where owners of highrise buildings cannot collect sums from buyers until 60pc of the construction has been completed.

Highrise owners should not be allowed to sell apartments until 60pc of construction is completed

The committee directed the chairman of the CDA to devise a policy to protect citizens who purchase apartments and then have to wait for years and while paying their dues cannot receive plots in private housing schemes.

“There should be a clear cut citizen centric policy in the highrise buildings issue and housing societies’ issues,” Mr Mehmood said.

The committee also expressed concern about a project by the Ministry of Housing to launch a housing scheme for Supreme Court lawyers. Committee member Kalsoom Perveen said the housing ministry could not launch a private housing scheme.

Mr Mehmood said that it had come to his notice that the housing ministry is acquiring land by imposing section four of the Land Acquisition Act for the compulsory acquisition of land, an illegal step as the ministry can only launch housing projects for government officials.

The committee summoned the Islamabad Capital Territory administration, which deals with land awards in Islamabad, to its next meeting.

The Senate body also discussed the Islamabad Expressway signal-free corridor, and the CDA’s project director informed the committee that technical faults in the first phase of the project – from Zero Point to Faizabad – are being fixed by the contractor.

Mr Mehmood also mentioned an impression that the private construction firm Maakson is getting most construction project contracts.

He asked the CDA chairman to submit details about the projects executed by this company, and directed thr authority to remove encroachments on CDA land that is being occupied by the Islamabad Club.

The secretary of the Islamabad Club has also been directed to attend the next meeting, and the committee chairman said the secretary will otherwise face an arrest warrant.

Capital Administration and Development Division Nargis Ghaloo briefed the committee on the criteria of appointment for CDA board members. She said there is no set criteria for any member other than the member finance, as the prime minister may appointment anyone as a board member.

While discussing deputationists in government offices, the committee also said several doctors are serving in the Federal Investigation Agency on deputation. Officials of the Establishment Division have been directed to submit details for the criteria for appointment on deputation and absorption of government officials in three weeks.

Published in Dawn, January 18th, 2017