F.P. Report
ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly was informed on Tuesday said that the ministry of Interior taking action against all those farmhouses involved in violation of concerned rules in the federal capital, decided to cancel such allotments after completing codal formalities.
Replying to a calling attention notice in the National Assembly, Parliamentary Secretary Interior Shaukat Ali said that on receiving confirmed reports and field visits, notices were issued to all such farm houses’ owners while final show-cause notices will be issued soon including its publication in newspapers.
He said that on the direction of the Ministry of Interior, Capital Development Authority (CDA) has conducted a detailed survey of existing farmhouses and submit its report to the ministry under which it was noted that out of total 621 farmhouses as many as 542 were active.
He said that the CDA has cleared 96 farmhouses as these houses were following all concerned rules like having allocated covered areas and doing farming while 81 farmhouses were violating all such rules and there was no farming in 365 farmhouses.
He said that the government had allowed these agro-farm houses under the Islamabad master plan with the objective of making poultry farms and fruits and vegetable farms for ensuring the availability of fresh fruits and vegetables for residents of the federal capital.
Later, the speaker referred the matter to the concerned committee for further discussion on the matter raised through calling attention notice by Nafeesa Inayatullah Khattak, Munawara Bibi Baloch, and Uzma Riaz on the use of farmhouses in Islamabad for residential purposes instead of farming.
Replying to another calling attention notice regarding compulsory retirement of more than three hundred CSS officers in violation of Civil Servants Act, 1973, Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mahmood said that this is not illegal activity as per section 13 (1), the government has right to make rules to improve civil services or address the issues related with CSS officers like lack of efficiency or responding public issues.
He said that the objective was to have such a system to scrutinize the promotion matters of officers or to observe whether any such officer deserves to continue services or get retirement. He added the committee will look into the matters related to the performance of civil service officers.
He said that Chairman, Federal Public Service Commission is looking into the matter and no arbitrary action will be taken. He added that Section 13 (1) of the Civil Servant Act 1973 fully empowered the government to devise rules to evaluate the performance of bureaucrats.
The calling attention notice moved by Nafisa Shah and others regarding compulsory retirement of more than 300 CSS officers in violation of Civil Servant Act 1973, causing grave concern amongst the public.
On objection from the government benches on Dr Nafisa Shah’s bill [The Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals Bill, 2021], the Speaker National Assembly directed the opposition and the government to send their respective bills to him on the protection and safety of journalists for further action.
The Speaker National Assembly referred the bill of Syed Mehmood Shah [The Control of Narcotic Substances (Amendment) Bill, 2021 to the concerned committee. Syed Agha Rafiullah also introduced his bill [The Injured Persons Compulsory Treatment Bill, 20211, which was referred to the concerned committee.
