Islamabad: The Senate Standing Committee on Housing and Works on Wednesday expressed its reservations over several amendments proposed under the Federal Government Employees Housing Authority (FGEHA) Ordinance 2019, a news source reported. Further, it deferred the passage of the proposed FGEHA Bill 2019 to enable the panel members to conduct an in-depth analysis and recommend revisions to the draft of the legislative proposal.
The committee meeting, presided over by its chairman Senator Mir Kabeer Ahmed Mohammad Sahi, deliberated the bill at length and deferred it in favour of a revised proposal. The senator observed that the bill granted the FGEHA director general absolute powers which, he remarked, could lead to power abuse. He also sought justification with regard to the five-year tax exemption proposed in the bill.
Other subjects that came under discussion include abolition of current lease granting procedure for commercial holdings, recruitment of Estate Offices, the status of framing rules to resolve allotment/retention for temporary accommodation disputes, and the construction of 50-60 rooms in the Federal Lodges, Quetta.
The participants also agreed to review the increase in touring officers’ accommodations charges and steps being taken to vacate the illegally occupied public accommodation in the Federal Government Servant Colony on Sariab Road in Quetta.
The meeting decided to mull the bill in the next meeting before its final recommendation. In response, Housing and Works Minister Chaudhry Tariq Bashir Cheema urged the committee to approve the bill soon so the ministry could provide affordable houses to the public employees.
Previously in July, President Dr Arif Alvi had promulgated the FGEHA Ordinance 2019 to facilitate the establishment of the said authority – whose primary task was to plan and develop housing schemes for both retired and serving public officers.
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