ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday ruled that a civil servant cannot retain more than one official accommodation and directed the inspector general of police (IGP) Islamabad either to keep the designated house in F-7 or one allotted to him in G-8.

IHC Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani had reserved order on a petition filed by a section officer of the interior ministry against ‘out-of-turn’ allotment of a government house to IGP Nasir Akbar Khan.

Justice Kayani also sought a report from the Ministry of Housing and Works on the number of civil servants retaining two official residences in the federal capital.

The court directed the secretary housing to submit the report in three months.

During the hearing, Justice Kayani directed the IGP to hand over possession of one of the two houses to the ministry.

Section officer Waqas Ali Khan in the petition contended that he was residing in a government accommodation in G-8. The house was originally allotted to his mother, however, after her retirement he retained it.

The counsel for the petitioner, advocate Danyal Hassan, told the court that the estate officials and police forcibly evicted his client and threw his belongings out of the house.

He argued that the estate office did not issue any prior notice to the occupant, adding the petitioner may be allowed to retain the house.

He said the housing ministry under the allocation rules can allot the house to the section officer and his request in this regard was under process.

Published in Dawn, November 12th, 2022