ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Housing and Works has informed the Islamabad High Court (IHC) that 1,100 officers of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) were illegally living in houses meant for various ministries and divisions under the federal government
The IHC has sought a complete list of CDA officers living in government houses under the supervision of the Estate Office in the federal capital.
The TLTP learnt that IHC judge Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani heard a petition filed by Director General Ministry of Interior Ali Nawaz Malik.
The court was informed by the authorities of the Ministry of Housing and Works that the CDA officers have taken possession of about 1,100 houses built for the employees of various ministries and divisions of the federal government. Apart from this, the court was informed about the houses on the Estate Office pool which were allotted to civil servants working under the federal government as per the general waiting list.
The petitioner’s counsel took the plea before the court that the Etate Office had allotted the house to him in November last year and had also issued an eviction order to CDA Deputy Director Engineer Syed Mohammad Hassan who was already residing there.
Advocate Shahid Kamal, the petitioner’s counsel further told the court that the house was still in the possession of the CDA officer.
According to him, since CDA is an autonomous body and its employees were not government employees, they cannot be allotted government accommodation from the Estate Office pool.
He requested the court to issue a directive to implement the earlier order against the unauthorized occupants of the house, however, the court adjourned further hearing till February 20, seeking a complete list of the CDA officers living in the houses of the Estate Office.
Of the 17,500 official residences in the federal capital, 5,000 residences have been illegally occupied and encroached upon by employees, who have also constructed additional rooms, boundary walls and courtyards. The Ministry of Housing has decided to conduct an operation against encroachments in government residences.
