ISLAMABAD: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Thursday directed the Federal Government Employees Housing Foundation (FGEHF) not to allot plots to those who had already availed the facility on subsidised rates anywhere in Islamabad.

The committee issued the order after Director General (audit) Maqbool Gondal said the foundation made out-of-turn allotments to 60 officers of the Islamabad police and the district administration.

He said the FGEHF allotted the plots to officers of the district administration and the police along with its own officials in the category of ‘professionals.’

According to an audit report, the FGEHF added to the professional category “judges of civil courts of Islamabad, employees of the office of district collector, housing foundation, law officers and members of the Islamabad bar association.”

As per the list, the foundation allotted plots to its own director general Shafqat Hussain Naghmi, ex-chief commissioner Islamabad Junaid Iqbal Chaudhry, former chief commissioner Khalid Pervez, directors FGEHF Hasnat Ahmed and Javed Iqbal, Shah Rukh Nusrat, Malik Zafar Iqbal, directors chief commissioner office Matahir Rana, Abdul Qudoos, assistant inspector general police Shahid Nadeem Baloch, superintendent of police Zubair Hashmi and SSP Sultan Azam Temuri.

Mr Gondal pointed out that these officers were entitled to the quota from their respective cadres where they might be allotted plots as per their seniority but the FGEHF compensated them under the professional quota bypassing the seniority rules.

In addition, the executive committee of the FGEHF allotted plots to its members, which were, however, cancelled by the prime minister.

The audit report observed that “in this way eligible and entitled government officials in the waiting list were deprived of the allotment of plots. Had merit been observed the shelter-less government employees would have been accommodated as per their seniority.”

The report added that the FGEHF caused Rs389 million loss to the national exchequer by making out-of-turn allotment of plots.

PAC Chairman Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah said the police officials could get plots on subsidised rates from the National Police Foundation (NPF). Therefore, they were not entitled to get plots from the FGEHF.

He said judges of the superior courts and even mediapersons were awarded more than one plots on subsidised rates.

He directed that those serving or retired officers, professionals and mediapersons who had availed subsidised plots in any government scheme were not entitled to the FGEHF schemes in future.

He directed the PAC secretary to write letters to the prime minister and the speaker National Assembly over the allotment policy.

Director General FGEHF Waqas Mehmood told the committee that the prime minister had approved the policy for allotment of plots to the professionals.

PAC member Dr Arif Alvi said the FGEHF did not implement the policy as per the prime minister’s directives.

Mr Shah then constituted a subcommittee, comprising Shafqat Mehmood, Mian Abdul Manan and Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, to examine the out-of-turn allotments and directed it to submit a report in a fortnight.

Published in Dawn, December 9th, 2016

Opinion

Editorial

Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...
New terror wave
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

New terror wave

The time has come for decisive government action against militancy.
Development costs
27 Mar, 2024

Development costs

A HEFTY escalation of 30pc in the cost of ongoing federal development schemes is one of the many decisions where the...
Aitchison controversy
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

Aitchison controversy

It is hoped that higher authorities realise that politics and nepotism have no place in schools.