KOHAT, June 4: Newly posted government officials to the area have been facing problems in finding accommodation in the town because most official residences have been illegally occupied by senior bureaucrats, judges and other influential officials who were transferred to other areas in the province between 1998 and 2005.

“These officials have not only illegally occupied government residences, but they do not pay any rent and also enjoy residential facilities in the areas they have been transferred to,” informed sources told Dawn.

Some of these influential bureaucrats even have rented these illegally-occupied residences, situated in posh areas of the city, to their relatives at very cheap rates.

Similarly, members of the governor’s inspection team, comprising personnel of police and other high-ranking officials, recently visited Kohat and stayed at the Circuit House for two months without paying rent. They also enjoyed free food during their stay.

It is interesting to note that orders for providing free-of-cost accommodation to these officers were issued by the district nazim and the district coordination officer.