NA body takes exception to pending residential project in Karachi

KARACHI: The Standing Committee of National Assembly for Housing and Works has taken strong exception to non implementation of an agreement signed between Pakistan Housing Authority (PHA) and Maymar Housing Services Private Limited in 2009 for construction of 8500 apartments in Karachi.

Chairman of the Committee, Mian Abdul Manaan, MNA, in a meeting held at the office of Sindh Chief Secretary here Monday said that the issue of housing and proper residential facilities had emerged to be a serious challenge in the metropolis and thus it could not be ignored by those at helm of affairs.

He on the occasion enquired as why the agreement signed on July 15, 2009 could not be materialized despite passage of more than eight long years and that the private builders were reportedly found asking the allottee to get back the money deposited as initial cost and related expenditure.

MNA Mian Abdul Manaan said the issue must be referred to National Acccountability Bureau (NAB) and government ought to play its role in helping bonafide allottee.

"A reference must be registered with NAB to help allottee acquire their due rights without any unnecessary delay," he said.

According to the agreement signed between PHA and Messrs Maymar, the latter was responsible to arrange for land and provide technical assistance.

Moreover of the 50% of these 8500 apartments were to be built for federal government employees and remaining 50% for general public.

Chairman, Standing Committee said all his colleagues strongly recommend that the scheme must not be shelved and that the matter be duly investigated.

"Details of the investigation alongwith audit report must be shared with the NA standing committee," he said.

Expressing his concern about haphazard development in Karachi and constructions of high rise without provision for needed safety measures, he enquired as how come a housing scheme meant for middle income citizens is exposed to hitches.

MNA Abdul Manaan also directed the concerned officials to get settled the issue of Carlton Hotel and put the retrieved land into adequate use of public welfare.

He also sought assistance of the Sindh government for early removal of encroachments around the federal government owned housing schemes.

Earlier the Federal Minister for Housing and Works, Akram Khan Durrani said the joint venture of PHA and Messrs Maymar Housing Services Private Ltd was inaugurated on September 5, 2009.

He mentioned that 495 applications were received and of these 365 applicants made down payment while remaining cost was to be deposited in instalments.

"Lack of interest on part of allottee severely hampered the development work on the project," said the minister mentioning that work could be started only on two towers against the envisaged seven towers at the site.

Minister Durrani suggested that a joint meeting of relevant committees of National Assembly and Senate be held to review the situation and forward sound recommendations to get the much warranted scheme completed without any unnecessary delay.

MNAs Engineer Muhammad Usman Badini, Iqbal Ali Khan, Sajid Nawaz, Shahida Rehmani, Nighat Perveen Mir, Khalida Mansoor and Sardar Ghulam Sarwar Khan attended the meeting alongwith senior officials of federal ministry of housing and works.