Islamabad: (Afzal Shah Yousafzai) The Senate Standing Committee on Housing and Works, chaired by Senator Nasir Butt, held a meeting to review the performance of the Federal Government Employees Housing Foundation (FGEHF), pending housing projects, and various development schemes.
During the meeting, the Director General of FGEHF informed the committee that the grey structure of 1,700 apartments in Sector G-13, Islamabad, has been completed and that all the apartments have been fully booked. He further stated that the land originally designated for the construction of smaller apartments was converted into commercial plots with the approval of the Board due to low booking demand. The revenue generated from these commercial plots will be utilized to complete the apartment project.
Senator Jan Muhammad strongly criticized the performance of the Federal Housing Foundation, stating that the institution has failed to complete a single project to date. He said that while projects appear complete on paper, the reality is entirely different. He recommended dissolving the institution and removing unnecessary staff, alleging that a "mafia" has taken root within the organization.
Committee Chairman Senator Nasir Butt agreed that the institution has not successfully completed any project so far. On the occasion, the Secretary of Housing also supported the proposal to dissolve the FGEHF, saying that if the institution is to continue, extraordinary measures must be taken to improve its performance. He added that some projects are nearing completion and will soon be handed over to the public.
The Housing Secretary further remarked that the Pakistan Housing Authority should also be included among the institutions whose performance requires serious review, as several of its projects have also faced significant delays, causing difficulties for the public. He noted that some projects originally scheduled for completion in 2019 are still pending.
The committee also reviewed the Sky Garden project. Chairman Nasir Butt stated that a suo motu notice was taken regarding the project in 2011, after which the matter was referred to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), resulting in prolonged delays.
The Senate Standing Committee decided to summon the former Chief Justice in its next meeting regarding the Sky Garden project. It also summoned the Chairman of NAB to discuss matters related to the Green Enclave-I project.
