ISLAMABAD:
The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has allegedly retained illegal possession of 1,083 government residences located in prime sectors of the federal capital under the jurisdiction of the Estate Office, while the authority has also allegedly failed to deposit the five per cent mandatory standard rent in the federal treasury since the time of allotment.
The Ministry of Housing and Works has decided to raise the matter with the CDA chairman, while the Public Accounts Committee has recommended that the Housing Secretary resolve the matter urgently.
According to documents available with The Express PAkGazette, audit authorities raised objections after the State Office abolished all accommodation groups except those allocated to the Ministry of External Affairs and a sensitive state institution, while imposing a limit on the number of government residences to prevent any further increase.
According to Clause 4 (1 and 2) of the Accommodation Allocation Rules, 2002, government residences allocated to institutions receiving funds for the construction of their own housing colonies were to be taken back and all other groups were to be abolished.
However, CDA officials allegedly refused to vacate the residences. Sources claimed that certain elements within the Real Estate Bureau were complicit in allowing the continued occupation of these properties, resulting in thousands of government employees being forced to reside in expensive private accommodation despite long waiting lists for official housing.
The documents further suggest that due to alleged collusion by Real Estate Bureau officials, the residences could not be recovered, even though Rule 24 of the Real Estate Bureau regulations empowers authorities to cancel assignments and recover properties at any time.
Sources further revealed that several of the original beneficiaries occupying CDA residences have already retired, while in numerous cases, CDA officials allegedly transferred the allotments to their children.
It was also alleged that five percent of the rent collected from the occupants had been retained and used by the CDA itself instead of being deposited in the federal treasury in accordance with the law.
