Housing Ministry not involved in land dispute, Senate body told

The Senate Standing Committee on Housing and Works met on Monday under the chairmanship of Senator Haji Hidayatullah Khan here and discussed the issues of price dispute of land and its possession between the land owners of Village Tamma and Morian and a Housing Society of Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA). Director General (DG) Housing Authority Tariq Rashid informed the committee that there was a dispute between land owners and Housing society and the officials of the Ministry Housing and Works were not involved in the dispute that took place on this land. He said that the rate was also revised and increased in the villages. The Secretary Housing argued that the land which was sold by the people five to ten years ago had become expensive today and negotiations were being made to settle the matter and all efforts were being made to speak to all stakeholders, and start development after coming to consensus. It was informed that a Land Supervisor Committee headed by the then sitting Judge Justice Maqbool Baqir was formed which, after holding meetings with the stakeholders decided a rate of 3,400,000 Per kanal (Rs1,725,000/- Award amount plus Rs 1675000/- against easement for possession for Moza Mohrian including 15 percent necessary acquisition charges. He said that FGEHA’ Executive Board had also endorsed proposed rate of the said Land Supervisory Committee in its 22nd meeting dated 03-08-2022 which would be applicable on whole Moza Mohrian. He further informed that as of now statement for almost 800 Kanal land had been recorded in FGEHA’s and payment thereof to the respective landowners had also been released , for land Sharing Fardat of around 800 Kanal Land of SCBAP’s share had been received out of which 616 kanals were cleared and remaining were under process. The committee directed to hold meetings between the community and the chief commissioner Islamabad and to play role of a mediator to sought out the matter and make a way forward to redress the matter with consensus. The committee sought report on the same in the next meeting The committee also discussed the matter of PWD regarding the alleged embezzlement in utilization of SDGs, programme fund at Tribal Districts of Mohmand , Bajaur and Khyber of erstwhile FATA. The matter of irregularities in SDGs programme in PWD projects in Mohmand, Bajaur and Khyber districts was raised by Senator Hilal-ur-Rehman. He said that PWD hollowing out foundations of the country and committing huge theft he lamented that their officers draft PC-1 of projects in Mohmand even without making visits and there is not a single No-objection certificate (NOC) obtained for any scheme he said. Senator Hilal-ur-Rehman further said that on March 28, 2018, a tender worth Rs 48 crore was opened by the PWD and a day later the work order was issued, he said that the PWD placed 850 km total pipeline in one night in a project which did not exist in Pakistan. Senator Hilal-ur-Rehman said that their officers came to my house and tried to bribe me he lamented the Mafia in PWD which give schemes to only two or three blue eyed contractors. PWD worked 3 million feet in Shabqadar in three days, which is not acceptable, said Senator Hilal-ur-Rehman “I told the DGPWD several times that your people are thieves,” stated Senator Hilal-ur-Rehman. He also lamented that officer involved in corruption was also reinstated. Senator Hilal-ur-Rehman the DG PWD said that NAB was conducting an inquiry on this, the matter was in court. Senator Hilal-ur-Rehman alleged that Chief Engineer and other officials were also involved in all these irregularities, the DG PWD said that XEN was suspended on June 8 before his arrival and XEN restored to the same seat later. The committee recommended suspending the Chief Engineer and other officers involved and directed to take action. Senator Bahramand Khan Tangi also said that he would bring an adjournment motion against it and also present evidence again fake documents used in the project. The ministry presented that local people of District Mohmand and Khyber filed a Writ Petition in Peshawar High Court seeking the revival of fund and execution of development scheme in their respective Ares. The judicial proceedings are in progress and the outcome will be intimated as and when the same is received. The contractor has also filed a writ Petition in Peshawar High Court Peshawar Seeking the revival of schemes. The judicial proceeding on the same is in progress. On the matter of details of commercial properties leased out by the Estate office in Islamabad during the last five years it was informed by the Estate office that no commercial properties in Islamabad therefore reply in the part of this office may be treated as nil. Earlier in the meeting, briefing by the secretary housing and works and chief commissioner Islamabad regarding allocation of funds from 2014-2018 for the development works in various sectors in Islamabad ICT was given. The committee was given details on the work of ICT executed by North Zone From 2004-2018 and details of work of ICT executed by Project Civil Division no III Pak PWD Islamabad.