ISLAMABAD: Minister for Housing and Works Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada on Thursday decided to abolish the special eligibility criterion of employees of housing ministry and its two attached departments - Federal Government Employees Housing Authority and Pakistan Housing Foundation (PHA-F) - for allotment of plots.

He made the decision while presided over a meeting of the Board of Directors of PHA-F. The meeting was also attended by Secretary Housing and Works Dr Shahzad Khan Bangash and other senior officers.

The minister was informed that every employee of FGEHA and PHA-F after one year’s service was eligible for getting a plot/flat in any housing scheme of these organisations. Officials who serve in these two organisations on deputation were also considered eligible for plots.

It may be mentioned that regular and on deputation employees of the ministry of housing, FGEHA and PHA-F become eligible for plots after a year’s service while other government employees have to wait for decades for their turn of getting a plot under the schemes of FGEHA and PHA-F.

“Mr Pirzada expressed his dissatisfaction on the reservation of such quota and stated that PHA-F and FGEHA are custodian of the money deposited by the federal government employees for the allotment of plots/flats. He said these two organisations are actually the trusties of hard earned money of the federal government employees. Allocation of quota for allotment to employees of Ministry and its attached departments, PHA-F, FGEHA and the deputationists in these organisations is not included in terms and conditions of their services,” said a press release issued by the ministry.

It said the minister directed that in future allotments should be made on open merit, adding this agenda item should be included for decision in the upcoming boards of directors meetings of PHA-F and FGEHA.

Meanwhile, the press release said agenda items relating to different development projects of PHA-F were presented before the board. Detailed discussions were made and different proposals and strategies to augment the pace of development work on various ongoing projects were deliberated and decisions taken accordingly.

The minister also expressed displeasure on the purchase of a 2400cc luxury vehicle by PHA-F and said it was misuse of the money deposited by government employees. The board unanimously agreed that the vehicle should immediately be auctioned through a transparent process.

Published in Dawn, May 24th, 2024