ISLAMABAD: Housing projects put on back burner

Associated Press of Pakistan
Dream of the low-income group to have their own shelter may take years as work on the proposed housing projects is slow.

The housing scheme for less-privileged class was announced by the Prime Minister in August last year, with direction for earliest completion. But it seems the concerned authorities are in deep slumber as they have made no headway to fulfil the long-standing dream.

After the announcement by the Prime Minister people started to get themselves registered with Federal Government Employees Housing Foundation (FGEHF). In the beginning, the pace of registration was fast. But after some time it became slow and at present it seems that the process has come to an end. People believe that the process to construct houses would take a long time as so for even no construction project has been announced.

Around eight million more housing units are needed in the country to meet the shortage of houses and 30,000 to 500,000 houses were being constructed on annual basis. About 100,000 to 200,000 houses are being constructed in private sector, while the rest are being built by the government. An official of Ministry of Housing when contacted said that about 3,000 kanals of land in Bara Kahu has been purchased, where 15,000 flats/plots would be allotted to the government employees, general public and journalists.

He further said that the department requested CDA for No Objection Certificate but they returned the request to the ministry with some observations. He expressed the optimism that the Department would soon get NOC soon and work on the announced project would be announced soon.

About 5,000 units in Bara Kahu out of 15,000 flats and plots would be allotted to the registered applicants. Another problem which the ministry, he said is facing is that of illegal occupation as large number of housing units out of total 24,000 have been occupied by the alien people.

Around 400 houses are under the illegal occupation of police in Islamabad who had not even paying any rent and utility bills. Similarly, the occupants of G-6 quarters have been exploiting the issue of G-6 quarters by putting pressure from various political circles to cancel the eviction orders.