Allotments on concessional rates

[Lahore_Real_Estate]

Ministry officials mint Rs 60m in PHA apartments’ project

* Violation of rules causing unrest among officers of Housing Ministry and those who paid according to rates mentioned in brochure

By Ikram Junaidi

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Housing Authority (PHA) had launched project of the apartments in sector G-10 and G-11 to earn money and reduce burden on the exchequer, as government has been facing severe financial crunch, but over 30 officers of authority and Ministry of Housing and Work’s ancillary departments have got allotted these apartments on concessional rates in violation of rules causing a loss of Rs 60 million to PHA.

This situation has caused resentment among those who purchased these apartments on rates mentioned in the brochures, as the officers have got allotted the apartments at Rs 2 million less rates.

The allotment of the apartments to officers in clear violation of the rules is resulting in unrest among other officers who are demanding that the concession should be waived off and allottees should be instructed to deposit the remaining payment to stop further corruption, it is learnt.

According to reliable sources, during tenure of caretaker government Federal Minister for Housing and Works Lala Nisar inaugurated the project of apartments in sector G-10 and G-11. According to the broachers rates of apartments of G-10 were Rs 3 to 3.5 million and rates of G-11 apartments were Rs 5 to 5.5 million. It was decided that project will be purely commercial and officers of the Ministry and its ancillary departments will not be eligible to their allotment, but till now over 30 officers have got allotted those apartments against Rs 2.9 million each and some of them have sold these for Rs 5 million and earned up to Rs 2 million profit.

They said former secretary Muhammad Ali, DG Land Col Suba Sadique who had come from NAB, DG Progress Management Athar Nawaz Malik, Tanvir, Deputy Director (DD) Shafique, PS to Managing Director (MD) Shahid, Hasnain who had come on deputation from the government of Punjab, former PHA MD (presently Chief Secretary Sindh) Raja Muhammad Abbas and PHA’s former DG Land Hamid Ali Khan (currently Additional Secretary Water and Power) were also beneficiary of these apartments.

Recently PHA MD Rasool Baksh Palpoto and PHA Director Land Dr Naveed have got allotted apartments in sector G-11 for Rs 2.9 million each and FGEHF DD Coordination Nouman Shah, who has been attached with the Minister for Housing and Works has got allotted an apartment in sector G-10 for Rs 1.9 million, whereas the actual price of the apartment was Rs 3.5 million. Sources said that previously Shah was got allotted a plot in sector G-13, which he later managed to transfer in I-8 and sold it for Rs 12.7 million. FGEHF Director Coordination Malik Iqbal has also got allotted an apartment in sector G-10.

An officer of the Ministry working as a DG requesting not to be named said that there was corruption worth billions of rupees in PHA, but it was surprising that the PHA had not prepared any policy for the employees. He said that Federal Government Employees Housing Foundation (FGEHF) had made criteria that employees having one and half years experience in the organization can get the plot but in PHA there are examples that officers came and within a few months got allotted apartments and went back. He said that priority had to be given to the employees who got retired in 2008 and would get retired till 2013 but it could not be implemented.

He said that Rs 200 each membership fee was collected from federal employees in 2007 and 2008 but they could not get any benefit. Federal secretaries get the plots from Prime Minister but there are so many additional and joint secretaries and other officers who are in a queue and there is no hope that they will ever get the plot or apartment, he said.

An other officer said that some other influential officers were also interested in allotment of apartments due to which they have demanded a report about the vacant and cancelled apartments from PHA and it has been decided that they will also avail the facility of concessional rates.

Allottees mulling option to move court against concession to officers: Owners of the apartments of G-10 and G-11 said that they paid amount mentioned in the brochures, but now they have come to know that PHA has been selling those apartments to their officers at less rates and the officers are selling the apartments in the market at less rates decreasing market value of the apartments.

They said there should be a uniform policy for allotment and at least they should have been informed by PHA before selling the apartments that in future those apartments will be sold at less rates. They said they reserved the right to go in the court regarding that matter.