Kakar for joint ventures to address housing issue
By Mona Khan

ISLAMABAD—Federal Minister for Housing and Works Rehmatullah Kakar has said that housing problem is getting complicated, particularly in the federal capital, and the need is to launch joint ventures on public-private partnership basis to address the issue.
He said while attending a maiden briefing about the role and functions of Ministry of Housing and Works after assuming the charge of the ministry here on Tuesday.
He said housing is a crucial issue, which merits special attention to resolve it on war footing and provide accommodation to the low paid employees.
He said the newly elected government of Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has seriously taken notice of the existing housing and accommodation problems of federal government employees.
Taking strong notice of out of turn allotments and kick backs in the past by allotting official accommodation to government employees, he said that there will be no out of turn allotment in future and all government accommodation would be allotted purely on merit.
“The allotment procedure will be brought under a system and if any official of the ministry or estate office was found involved in out of turn allotment, strict action will be taken against him,” he warned Rehmatullah Kakar said the government employees, particularly the low-paid, were facing a lot of problems in getting official accommodation in Islamabad. He directed the officials to launch housing schemes on war footing to address the issue.
Earlier, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Works, Abid Ali briefed the Minister about the functions and objectives of the Ministry.
Director General, Pak.PWD Ali Akbar Shaikh, Managing Director Pakistan Housing Authority (PHA), Samiul Haq Khilji, DG, National Housing Authority, Tallat Mian, DG Federal Government Employees Housing Foundation, Shahid Hammed and Estate Officer Sher Afzal Khan Marwat briefed the Minister about the role and functions of their respective departments and various housing projects being undertaken by them.