ISLAMABAD-UNS: The Senate Standing Committee on Housing and Works, chaired by Nasir Mehmood, has taken strong notice of decades-long irregularities, unpaid rents, and stalled housing projects, setting strict deadlines for compliance and accountability.
PHA-F Occupancy Without Agreement for 26 Years:
In an observation, the committee expressed grave concern over the Pakistan Housing Authority Foundation’s (PHA-F) continued occupation of office space in the Shaheed-e-Millat Secretariat without a legal agreement for the past 26 years. After extensive deliberations, the committee gave PHA ,two weeks to formalize a proper agreement and begin collecting rent from PHA. “It is unacceptable that such blatant disregard for procedure persisted for over two decades without intervention,” the Chairman remarked.
NAB Courts Rent Arrears of Rs. 63.378 Million:
The committee also reviewed the case of NAB Courts operating in the Federal Lodge, Wafaqi Colony, Lahore, without paying rent since *March 2021. The Ministry of Housing & Works has repeatedly asked the Ministry of Law and Justice to clear outstanding dues of **Rs. 63.378 million* and vacate the premises, as per official memoranda dated May 14, June 24, and July 1, 2025.
During a meeting on July 9, the Ministry of Law requested that rent be waived and the title of the premises transferred permanently. The Housing Ministry rejected this demand and reiterated its earlier stance. The committee has now set a *one-week deadline* for rent payment, failing which the NAB Courts will be required to vacate.
FIA Probes 316 Enquiries in a Decade:
The FIA briefed the committee on multiple fraud and corruption cases in housing projects. In the last 10 years, FIA registered 316 enquiries and 22 cases against the Ministry of Housing & Works and its attached departments.
216 enquiries were closed, *80* remain under probe.
Of 22 FIRs,18 have been challaned, 4 are still under investigation.
For Pak-PWD alone, 220 enquiries were registered, with *23 accused arrested* and *10 private individuals still at large*.
Sky Gardens Housing Scheme — Land Disputes and Development Progress
The committee was briefed on the Sky Gardens project, a joint venture between FGEHA and M/s Commoners Sky Garden (CSG), involving over *6,200 kanals* of land in Mauza Kathar and Mauza Mangal. While NAB cleared both sites in 2022, litigation continues over land in Mauza Mangal, with the case pending in the Lahore High Court, Rawalpindi Bench.
Infrastructure development is ongoing, with *35% progress* in Package-I and *37% in Package-II. Upon completion, **4,200 plots* are expected to be allotted. The committee has sought a complete report for the next meeting.
Other Agenda Items Deferred:
Remaining agenda items, including updates on FGEHA membership funds, completed and delayed projects, litigation status of major housing schemes in Islamabad, and compliance reports from previous meetings, were deferred for the next session.
The meeting was attended by Senator Husna Bano, Senator Khalida Ateeb, Senator Saifullah Sarwar Khan Nyazee, Senator Hidayat Ullah Khan, and Senator Mohammad Humayun Mohmand.
