Senate body calls for elimination of corruption from Estate Office
By Adnan Rafique

ISLAMABAD—The Senate Standing Committee on Housing and Works directed Ministry of Housing and Works to purge the Estate Office completely of ‘Culture of Corruption’ and ensure transparent allotment of government houses.
The committee which met at the Parliament House on Thursday under the Chairmanship of Senator Muhammad Ali Brohi alsorecommended construction of a residential colony for the police employees posted at Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) and asked the Estate Office to prepare its PC-1 within one week, said a press release issued by the senate secretariat. The chairman turned down the police department’s plea tolegalize the occupation of flats/government quarters by the police employees (a sort of one-time waiver) in Islamabad, arguing that it would set a dangerous precedent for future.
The committee also called for formulating a long term policy to solve the residential problems being faced by the Federal Government Employees, taking into consideration the exorbitant cost of land and ever increasing cost of construction.
It directed the Ministry of Interior to get vacated theremaining flats/houses currently under illegal occupation of Police department in Islamabad by the first week of March next year incoordination with the Ministry of Housing and Works.
It also recommended initiation of strict departmental actionagainst the wrong doers. The members said there are instances wherein certain employees of the police department have illegallyoccupied not one but many flats and houses and currently they were renting out the government property.
The Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Works informed that allthe allotments made to the employees of non-entitled departmentswere cancelled in pursuance of Prime Minister’s InspectionCommission’s decision. The affectees approached Lahore High Court/Rawalpindi Benchagainst the action of Estate Office. In pursuance of the decision of Lahore High Court, Rawalpindi Bench, Rawalpindi, personal hearings of these employees were conducted by Secretary (Housing and Works).
In 58 cases, final ejectment notices were issued but instead of vacating the accommodation most of the employees filed Civilsuits in the Civil Court, Islamabad as well as writ petitions in theLahore High Court against ejectment and obtained stay orders. Further action will be taken in the light of Courts order.