Senate body issues stern deadlines, probes Rs multi-billion irregularities in Housing Sector
ISLAMABAD, Aug 12 (EPI) : The Senate Standing Committee on Housing and Works, chaired by Nasir Mehmood, has taken strong notice of decades-long irregularities, unpaid rents, and stalled housing projects, setting strict deadlines for compliance and accountability.
PHA-F occupancy without agreement for 26 Years
In an observation, the committee expressed grave concern over the Pakistan Housing Authority Foundation’s (PHA-F) continued occupation of office space in the Shaheed-e-Millat Secretariat without a legal agreement for the past *26 years. After extensive deliberations, the committee gave PHA **two weeks* to formalize a proper agreement and begin collecting rent from PHA. “It is unacceptable that such blatant disregard for procedure persisted for over two decades without intervention,” the Chairman remarked.
NAB Courts Rent Arrears of Rs. 63.378 Million
The committee also reviewed the case of NAB Courts operating in the Federal Lodge, Wafaqi Colony, Lahore, without paying rent since *March 2021. The Ministry of Housing & Works has repeatedly asked the Ministry of Law and Justice to clear outstanding dues of **Rs. 63.378 million* and vacate the premises, as per official memoranda dated May 14, June 24, and July 1, 2025.
During a meeting on July 9, the Ministry of Law requested that rent be waived and the title of the premises transferred permanently. The Housing Ministry rejected this demand and reiterated its earlier stance. The committee has now set a *one-week deadline* for rent payment, failing which the NAB Courts will be required to vacate.
Lifestyle Residency Project — Delays and Disputes
Senator Mohammad Humayun Mohmand’s starred question regarding the bidding process of the Lifestyle Residency project was discussed in detail. The committee noted multiple reasons for the project’s delay, including weak financial health, excessive control granted to the JV partner, persistent disputes between Progressive and Granite, and the illness and subsequent death of the contractor in December 2022. Two attempts to resume work through fresh tenders failed. The matter has been deferred till finalization of the audit report for further deliberations.
Right-Sizing Instead of New Appointments in FGEHA
Addressing a petition for the creation of a BS-19 Director post in the Federal Government Employees Housing Authority (FGEHA), officials clarified that no new posts are being created, and the focus is instead on “right-sizing” existing structures.
FIA Probes 316 Enquiries in a Decade
The FIA briefed the committee on multiple fraud and corruption cases in housing projects. In the last *10 years, FIA registered **316 enquiries* and *22 cases* against the Ministry of Housing & Works and its attached departments.
* *216 enquiries* were closed, *80* remain under probe.
* Of *22 FIRs, **18* have been challaned, *4* are still under investigation.
For *Pak-PWD* alone, *220 enquiries* were registered, with *23 accused arrested* and *10 private individuals still at large*.
*Sky Gardens Housing Scheme — Land Disputes and Development Progress*
The committee was briefed on the Sky Gardens project, a joint venture between FGEHA and M/s Commoners Sky Garden (CSG), involving over *6,200 kanals* of land in Mauza Kathar and Mauza Mangal. While NAB cleared both sites in 2022, litigation continues over land in Mauza Mangal, with the case pending in the Lahore High Court, Rawalpindi Bench.
Infrastructure development is ongoing, with *35% progress* in Package-I and *37% in Package-II. Upon completion, **4,200 plots* are expected to be allotted. The committee has sought a complete report for the next meeting.
Other Agenda Items Deferred
Remaining agenda items, including updates on FGEHA membership funds, completed and delayed projects, litigation status of major housing schemes in Islamabad, and compliance reports from previous meetings, were deferred for the next session.
The meeting was attended by Senator Husna Bano, Senator Khalida Ateeb, Senator Saifullah Sarwar Khan Nyazee, Senator Hidayat Ullah Khan, and Senator Mohammad Humayun Mohmand.