LAHORE, March 28: Two influential retired bureaucrats who are serving as members of the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) have been given another extension in retaining official houses in the prime GOR-I.

According to the government rules and regulations, the officials had long lost the entitlement to retain the houses allotted to them before their retirement.

All those retired DMG and police officials who were occupying the government residences after their retirement had been made to vacate them.

According to sources on Wednesday, Mr Safdar Javaid Syed and Mr Ziaur Rehman were allowed to retain the houses till April 30.

Mr Syed retired from service in August 2009 and Mr Ziaur Rehman in June 2010.

According to the government rules, an official can retain a residence only for two months after his or her retirement. A six-month extension is given upon request.

Both the former Board of Revenue senior members have already been served with vacation and ejectment notices.

Previously, all the retired officials who became PPSC members were allowed to retain the residences allotted to them during their service.

But the facility was withdrawn a few months ago by making it clear that such retired officials had no right to retain official houses, especially when they were drawing house rent as PPSC members.

Meanwhile, another powerful retired bureaucrat, Humayun Farshori, has also been reportedly allowed to retain his official residence through paper possession (showing the house has been handed over to the new allottee but actually retaining it) which is illegal under the law.