ISLAMABAD, Nov 8: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Government Assurances has directed the Ministry of Housing and the capital police to take necessary measures to get government houses vacated from illegal occupants.

The committee, in its meeting presided over by Haji Khuda Bukhsh Nizamani at the Parliament House on Monday, discussed the resolution passed by the National Assembly on September 30 last which asked for taking immediate steps to get government houses vacated from illegal occupants.

The committee also asked the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and Law to ensure early implementation of court decisions/stay orders in this respect.

The Inspector General of Police Islamabad and secretary, Ministry of Housing and Works, assured the committee that illegal occupants of government houses would be evicted within six months.

Earlier, the housing and works secretary informed the committee that 491 government quarters were under unauthorized occupation of employees of various government organizations out of which 234 quarters were under the illegal possession of the capital police.

He said the Estate Office had recovered about Rs7.809 million as panel rent during the period from October 12, 2004 to October 31, 2004 from unauthorized occupants.

The meeting was also attended by Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Sher Afgan Khan Niazi, MNAs Syed Gulzar Sibtain Shah, Sardar Bahadur Ahmed Khan Sihar, Sher Akbar Khan, Mehnaz Rafi, Syed Zafar Ali Shah, Malik Liaquat Ali Dogar, Pervaiz Masih and Pir Syed Fazal Ali Shah Jillani.