ISLAMABAD: The officials of the Ministry of Housing and Works informed the Senate Standing Committee on Housing and Works that public land in Karachi was leased out to a mosque for Rs. 3 per square yard per month while the management of the mosque rented out the same land to a gas station for Rs. 300,000 per month.
The committee on Federal Government Employees Housing Authority (FGEHA) voiced strong resentment over the non-completion of several projects at the meeting held here under the chairmanship of Senator Haji Hidayatullah.
The Director General (DG) Estate Office informed the panel during a briefing on leased property that a mosque in Karachi’s Saddar had been given 532 square yards of land. The matter was put on hold as the chairman of the committee directed the authorities to provide a thorough briefing on it.
The committee was also informed that there are 9 gas stations in all, with a total size of 7,965.72 square yards and a fixed fee of Rs. 784,167.5 per lease.
Furthermore, when addressing the panel regarding the land allocation to the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) Housing Society, the secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Works stated that since the property has divided ownership, the main concern was raising the mortgage rates.
However, following the award, the ministry cannot increase the rates since every person who had sold their land will receive Rs. 3.4 million from the ministry.
As per the details, the principal guarantor owner of the disputed land has met with ministry officials, according to the secretary, but the tenants are requesting lowered rates.
Additionally, the court is currently also deliberating whether or not the officials and their wives had to provide a document stating they had no residence before receiving government housing of the E-type or higher category.
The Director General FGEHA provided a thorough briefing on the current situation of sectors F-14 and F-15, and issues including the total number of lands, the number of allottees who have received land so far, and the number of allottees who still have land covered in great depth.
A report on the tendering and bidding procedure, including information on the advertising, was also requested by the committee.
Besides, the DG Housing Authority and his agency have also authorized PC-1 of this project and accepted the land sharing and land value enhancement formula on behalf of the local populace.
The DG Housing Authority also responded to Senator Saifullah Abro’s inquiry about the current specifics of how the contract for the construction of this project was granted to FWO by saying that the FWO was mobilized after the court suspended the work.
