Estate Office directed to stopi ssuing eviction notices to allottees

[Salman]

Islamabad : Minister of State for Housing and Works Barrister Usman Ibrahim has decided to go soft on allottees of Gulshan-e-Jinnah flats, federal lodges and Fatima Jinnah Hostel who are employees of semi autonomous and autonomous government departments and has directed the concerned officials to stop the process of issuing vacation notices to them.

The minister of state issued orders while taking notice of complaints of allottees who were served final vacation notices under the pretext that the accommodation was being occupied by employees of autonomous and semi-autonomous government departments.

It may be pointed out here that government accommodation, which comes in control of the Estate Office is not allowed to employees of the semi-government and autonomous departments and they are considered as non entitled to get this facility.

“The present government’s policy is to provide homes and not to deprive the residing people from their places”, the minister stated while emphasising the need to vacate those houses, which are being occupied illegally by trespassers or others. The minister strictly directed the Estate Office to put its full force to vacate the government owned houses from un-authorised occupants instead of focusing over vacating the temporary accommodation.

He further added that issuing notices to these non-entitled semi government employees is creating hindrances in smooth official working because the ministry receives hearing summons from courts when the people take stay orders. He said that the government realises the dearth of working women hostels and “pledges to increase the number of quality working women hostels”, when a female resident of Fatima Jinnah hostel complained to the Minister that “how could the administration expect them to find another accommodation in 24 hours?”

He said the government will formulate a well-defined policy before moving towards non-entitled residents, but before that no further vacation notice will be issued to them.