ISLAMABAD:
The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has allegedly retained illegal possession of 1,083 government houses located in prime sectors of the federal capital under the jurisdiction of the Real Estate Office, while the authority has also allegedly failed to remit the mandatory standard rent of five percent to the federal treasury since the time of award.
The Ministry of Housing and Labor has decided to submit the case to the CDA chairman, while the State Auditors’ Committee has recommended that the housing secretary resolve the issue as soon as possible.
According to documents available with The Express Pakinomist, the review authorities raised objections after the real estate office scrapped all accommodation pools except those allotted to the Ministry of External Affairs and a sensitive government institution, while imposing a cap on the number of government accommodation to prevent any further increase.
According to Section 4 (1&2) of the Housing Allotment Rules 2002, government housing allotted to institutions which received funds for construction of their own housing colonies were to be reclaimed and all other pools were to be abolished
However, CDA officials reportedly refused to vacate the residences. Sources alleged that certain elements within the estates office were complicit in allowing the continued occupation of these properties, resulting in thousands of government employees being forced to live in expensive private housing despite long waiting lists for official housing.
The documents further suggest that due to alleged collusion by land office officials, the homes could not be retrieved, even though Rule 24 of the land office regulations empowers authorities to cancel allotments and repossess properties at any time.
Sources further revealed that several original allotments who occupied the CDA-held residences have already retired, while in several cases the allotments were allegedly handed over by CDA officials to their children.
It was also alleged that the five percent rent collected from the residents has been retained and used by the CDA itself instead of being deposited in the federal treasury in accordance with the law.
