LAHORE: The Lahore Development Authority (LDA) has sough the intervention of the National Accountability Bureau to resolve matters related to the LDA Avenue-I and five other housing societies.

LDA Director General Usman Moazzam briefed NAB’s Lahore DG Shahzad Saleem on reasons for delay in the LDA Avenue-I project here on Thursday.

The briefing was called to address the issues and reservations being raised by all stakeholders and to draw a plan to resolve them under the law.

The LDA Avenue-I project covers an area of around 17,771 kanals whereas five different housing societies, situated within Avenue-1, own 3,200 kanals. They claim that they acquired land for their projects and got them approved well before the launch of Avenue-1. That’s why they have been resisting transfer of land to the LDA for which the role of the NAB has been sought.

Mr Moazzam said the LDA Avenue-I project was offering plots for balloting to all stakeholders at over 30 per cent ratio, as defined in the law.

During briefing, representatives from the Chiniot Cooperative Housing Society, Mumtaz Housing Scheme, Islamic Research Scholars Cooperative Housing Society, Board of Revenue Employees Cooperative Housing Society and Punjab Civil Servants Employees Cooperative Housing Society explained their reservations for attaching their lands to the LDA’s mega project.

The NAB DG called administration of the Ciniot Cooperative Housing Society next week for briefing as its administration had failed to develop and deliver plots to general public since 1987 whereas the Mumtaz Housing Society and Board of Revenue Cooperative Housing Society officials had been directed to settle their issues with the LDA within 15 days as per law.

Shahzad Saleem further asked the LDA to give the Islamic Research Scholars Cooperative Housing Society administration complete balloting plan and the later would re-submit the same to the LDA within 15 days after taking approval from all board members.

He also said that a complete balloting plan should be handed over to all housing societies concerned. He said each and every legal work must be kept going without any interruption and LDA was responsible to keep the NAB informed about any decision taken regarding the LDA Avenue-I project.

“Further delay in completion of this project would not be tolerated,” the NAB DG warned.

A spokesman of the Islamic Research Scholars Cooperative Housing Society said they would accept the decisions taken by the LDA governing body.

Published in Dawn, August 2nd, 2019