Cases concerning Ministry of Housing and Works: Panel slams NAB, FIA for gross inefficiency, obstruction

ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary panel on Tuesday on Tuesday severely criticised the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for their gross inefficiency and obstruction in cases concerning the Ministry of Housing and Works, accusing both agencies of wasting millions in taxpayer money with no tangible results.

A sub-committee of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which met here with Shahida Akhtar Ali in the chair, issued a stern warning to NAB and FIA, stating that their delays were not only squandering public funds but also impeding the recovery of ill-gotten wealth.

“These agencies have done little more than sit idle while public funds are squandered,” Ali remarked, condemning their inaction.

The committee has demanded immediate and decisive action on all pending cases, warning that any further delays would result in serious consequences.

The panel reviewed audit objections from the financial years 2010-11 and 2013-14, which revealed that the Estate Office had failed to recover rent from various properties, including shops and canteens. No new lease agreements had been signed, and rent collection had come to a complete halt.

When asked about the status of the long-pending NAB and FIA investigations, the Secretary of Housing and Works could only report that letters had been sent to both agencies, hoping for updates by week’s end.

Unimpressed, Ali responded, “We have solid evidence of corruption in these cases, yet the agencies are dragging their feet.”

Currently, NAB is investigating eight cases, while FIA is handling five, said the Secretary of the Housing Ministry, adding one case is being jointly managed by both agencies.

In Karachi, he added, 217 shops are under scrutiny, but only 20 have been sealed and repossessed. He said that plans are now underway to re-auction these properties.

The Secretary also mentioned allegations that certain individuals had been granted permanent allotments of these shops, raising concerns about potential collusion.

The Housing Ministry officials said that a letter has been to the Chief Secretary of Sindh to address these contentious claims. However, the committee expressed growing frustration with the lack of real progress on corruption cases.

After reviewing the issues, the committee decided to defer the case for a month, demanding an updated report from the Ministry of Housing and Works.

Officials from NAB and FIA were left red-faced, offering no substantial explanations for their delays, except that they were working on it.

The committee made it clear that further excuses would not be tolerated, warning that both agencies would face intense parliamentary scrutiny if they failed to deliver results.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025