16 ministries to be shifted to Kohsar block: Tariq

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Housing and Works Tariq Bashir Cheema Wednesday told National Assembly that offices of 16 ministries would be shifted to the New Secretariat Kohsar block in the federal capital.

During Question House, he told that the new block of the secretariat had been completed.

He said majority of ministries were previously housed in rented buildings, adding rent of Rs 182.817 million would be saved annually after shifting of ministries.

To another question of MNA Barjees Tahir, the minister told that the case of Park Road Housing Scheme in Islamabad was pending in the Supreme Court. The said case was filed by Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan (SCBAP) in 2013 vide constitutional petition and later it was disposed of after several hearings.

Presently a contempt petition titled SCBAP vs Chief Commissioner was under proceeding in the Supreme Court and the Federal Government Employees Housing Foundation was also party in the contempt case which had been clubbed with the case of sector F-14/F-15, he added in a written reply.

He said so far Rs 1.4 million had been paid to the lawyers in the cases, adding no application for early hearing had been filed by the Ministry of Housing.

Furthermore Minister for Housing and Works Tariq Bashir Cheema Wednesday said the projects for construction of affordable houses under Naya Pakistan Housing Authority would be started soon with facility of mortgage from commercial banks.

Responding to questions of different members in the National Assembly, he said Prime Minister Imran Khan approved the establishment of the apex body Naya Pakistan Housing Authority to build homes.

The draft bill of Naya Pakistan Housing Authority will be submitted to the cabinet for placement before the Parliament. Foreclosure laws and housing specific loan recovery procedures had been approved by the federal cabinet, he told.

He also said Federal Government Employees Housing Foundation had sought Expression of Interest for joint ventures in collaboration with the private sector for building of homes and in response 93 proposals from 39 individuals and companies had been received.

He said each housing unit will cost Rs3 million and an applicant would pay a down payment of Rs300,000. The government would mainly act as regulator and facilitator to address all the bottlenecks faced by the public in housing sector.

So far the housing projects had been launched in Islamabad, Quetta and Okara and the projects would move further ahead as per demand of the people.

He said Rs5 billion were allocated for grant of interest free loans to people who had plots of two to three marlas and did not have money to build homes.

He said a mechanism for upgrading and regulating Katchi Abadis and slums would be put in place and Prime Minister would personally take ownership of the initiative and would monitor its progress in order to ensure smooth implementation.

The government planned to build five million homes through the private sector and data of the applicants for housing facilities would be acquired and managed through National Database and Registration Authority, the minister added.