FAISALABAD, Sept 16: The Overseas Pakistanis Foundation has reportedly abandoned its housing scheme after 14 years of its launching and sale of plots.

According to information gleaned by this correspondent here on Thursday, the OPF procured 1,600-kanal land in 1989 for a housing scheme near Gatwala Forest Park on the Faisalabad-Sheikhupura Road.

The foundation administration through advertisements invited applications from overseas Pakistanis by offering them a number of lucrative packages. The interested individuals were asked to secure seven-marla, 10-marla, one and two-kanal plots at a rate of Rs200,000 per kanal.

Scores of Pakistanis working and living abroad deposited the required amount in the OPF accounts. After a couple of years, the OPF authorities again published advertisements in newspapers and provided opportunity to the local citizens for allotment of some vacant plots in the housing scheme against Rs5,000 additional amount for a one-kanal plot.

A number of local people also deposited the required amount and they were issued formal allotment letters. In 1995, the OPF authorities issued a schedule of payment to all allotees and asked them to pay their remaining amount so that the plan could be accomplished. After that, they deposited the rest of the amount.

The Faisalabad Development Authority was an associate of the plan and the allottees were clearly directed that the allotment was subject to the terms and conditions given in the scheme's brochure, including any modifications made from time to time by OPF of the FDA.

Later, OPF Assistant-Director (Housing) MA Mushtaq issued a letter to all allottees asking them that the allotments had been cancelled and the scheme had been abandoned.

The letter issued to allottees says "as informed earlier, you were asked to provide your bank particulars so that the amount deposited by you against the plot allotted in the scheme could be transferred/refunded in your bank account.

A considerable time has already been lapsed but you have failed to provide the required information till now. It is pertinent to mention that due to some unavoidable circumstances it was decided by the OPF Board of Governors in its 85th meeting held on June 28, 2002, that the development of the scheme is not in the interests of the applicants and, therefore, it may be abandoned." An OPF source said the land had been sold to a local industrial group through a 'shabby deal.'