LAHORE, July 3: Cases against 12 defaulter co-operative housing societies have been referred to the National Accountability Bureau. The societies include Official Employees Cooperative Housing Society, National Cooperative Hou-sing Society, Gulshan Cooperative Housing Society, Government Superior Service of Pakistan Cooperative Housing Society, Aitchison College Staff Cooperative Housing Society, Common Services Cooperative Housing Society, Chaman Zar Cooperative Housing Society, PCSIR Staff Cooperative Housing Society, Pakistan Medical Cooperative Housing Society, besides Local Government and Rural Development Cooperative Multi-Purpose Society.

Punjab Co-operatives Minister Col Malik Anwar (retired) said on Sunday that caretakers or administrators had been appointed for these societies.

Legal proceedings under the Co-operative Act 1925 were under way against all such societies which were not holding their annual general meetings and audit.

“Of the 154 registered co-operative societies in Lahore, 65 are in the development stage. The 20 societies found to be bogus are being liquidated,” the minister said.

The societies acquired 116,984 kanals and the number of their members stood at 105,783 while some 73,075 plots were allotted.

The minister said action was also being taken against all such societies which were selling cancelled plots to property dealers at exorbitant prices.

Caretakers had been appointed for the monitoring of all societies who would ensure redressal of the grievances of the people allotted plots, the minister said.