'Corruption' in FBISE's housing scheme: National Assembly body seeks detailed report within four days

Taking strong notice of the reported irregularities in the housing scheme of Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (FBISE), Islamabad, the National Assembly Standing Committee on Education on Monday sought detailed report from the authorities concerned within four days.
The committee, which met here at the Parliament House with Chaudhry Abid Sher Ali in the chair, discussed the reported irregularities in the housing scheme launched by the FBISE for its employees, besides taking up other agenda items and asked official of the board to submit all the details regarding allotment of plots to its employees and the criteria adopted for the purpose.
Officials of the FBISE, while briefing the committee on the housing society stated that it was purely a welfare project to cater for the very genuine housing need of the employees with a view to provide them shelter. They said that the payments made by the FBISE on behalf of the board employees were to be repaid by the members as per bye-laws through easy monthly instalments without interest.
The committee was further informed that repayment by the member employees had already started and an amount of Rs 1,58,51,700 has been repaid by the members so for, which stand credited to the FBISE account. They said that the board employees did not enjoy the status of federal government employees in letter and spirit and as they were not eligible to be considered for any government welfare schemes like Federal Government Employees Housing Foundation, therefore, the project was considered and approved by the Board of Governors to address the housing problems mainly of low paid employees, which consist of 90 percent of the total employees.
They said that the developed plots on membership basis were acquired after due consent of the employees and verification and scrutiny of the previous record of Federal Employees Co-operative Housing Society (FECHS). The FBISE officials further told the committee that no land had been purchased for any separate housing society, colony or scheme for the employees of the board.
Chairman of the Committee Abid Sher Ali during proceedings of the committee, said that it would be the darkest day in the country's history on which Ministry of Education would be devolved to the provinces. "Provinces don't have the resources to tackle with the important subject and it would be tantamount to sabotage the education system of the country," he observed.
While taking up consideration of a private member bill, Prohibition of Corporal Punishment Bill, 2008 of the PML-Q's MNA Attia Inayatullah, the committee sought written consent of the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Law and Ministry of Education on the legislation aimed at stopping corporal punishment in education institutions by the teachers.
Many member of the committee were of the view that as the legislation relates to corporal punishment, therefore, opinions of the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Law and Ministry of Education should be invited. They also favoured that the corporal punishment in education institutions should be stopped and also recommended that the bill should be laid in the House for passage in the upcoming session. The committee also approved the Pakistan Academy of Letters Bill, 2010, which was earlier passed unanimously by its sub-committee.