Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The nexus of Federal Government Employees Housing Federation (FGEHF) and district management Islamabad has launched a lucrative business of sale and purchase of land in sectors F-14 and F-15 with unleashing loot and plunder spree by committing massive robbery on the pockets of civil servants.

Maximum 2000 officers can be adjusted in these two sectors but DG FGEHF, Waqas and officers of district management have allowed registration to the officers more than the prescribed limits. On the other hand funds are not available to purchase the land.

The FGEHF under the Ministry of Housing and headed by its DG Waqas Ali is flouting the permission from the Prime Minister to acquire sector F-14 and F-15 for the purpose of a housing project. However, the fact is that as per planning parameters only a maximum of 1500 to 2000 officers can be adjusted in each of the two sectors. While the funding for acquisition is also not available. Unfortunately these projects are being oversubscribed to raise funds for purchase of land and derive benefit for the management but to the detriment of the thousands of members of FGEHF.

The land acquisition act entails that funding should be deposited in the account of Collector, so that award can be announced. However, the requisite funds have not been allocated. Though, the intent of land award has been made under provision of Land Acquisition Act. At the same time FGEHF has started collecting money from members who are government servants so as to raise funds for land purchase. This is being done when they are not even aware what the actual award price for F-14 and F-15 will be and how long will the award process take. For instance the award will be challenged in the courts for several reasons.

The foremost will be delayed since Section 4, requires land acquisition within 6 months to one year. However, that time stands lapsed. The price of award shall also be an issue as market price has to be paid. However, the biggest crime in the whole project can be comprehended by comparing to a private developer doing this, that he starts collecting money without a lay out plan, without any approval of plan, without owning land. This is being done by FGEHF and government of Pakistan looks the other way while the NAB sleeps over it.

The allegations of corruption don’t end here. Reportedly several government servants taking advantage of the advance information started sale purchase of land in this area in 2014. The list includes officers of ICT Administration as well as FGEHF. There are reports that certain authorities have acquired this information and are processing them for action. The consequence of this investment by government officers at helms of affairs is that the price has been fueled due to speculation. Now the fear is that award will be on a very high price as the same officers who invested in raw land want to gain maximum profit for themselves in the award which will be announced with their connivance. Loss will be on account to the government employees who are poor members of FGEHF.

So what will happen is that poor government servants will end up paying premium on the investments made by officers of ICT as well as FGEHF. Otherwise there is no reason as to why the award is being delayed. In case no funds were available then its an offence to go in for this process altogether.

Similarly another scam is in Mauzaa Tamma area of Park Road. There too FGEHF has hidden behind the Supreme Court Bar and launched a project in violation of law and to the detriment of its members. The FGEHF through ICT Administration has secured a Section 4 order under land acquisition. Again investments have been made by who’s who in the administration and government. This has been done despite the fact that project where beneficiary is private sector cannot be launched in this area. Again the market price of land in this area is in crores and people are being misled. Now these are a test cases for NAB, had the same thing been done by a private developer they would have been arrested by now. In plain words FGEHF is collecting money from government servants for a land which they do not own and this money will be used to buy this land at a price they have no idea about. NAB remains silent on reasons best known to them.

The Bhara Kahu project which was riddled with mismanagement and corruption by the previous regime has not only been owned by the current management rather it is being taken forward. The land is not usable for development of housing project due to the undulations in the terrain. However, the poor government servants are not being told that entire project is hardly fit for development and they are being ripped off their savings. The money thus being collected is allegedly being lined up for acquisitions to make quick money by the management of FGEHF and the relevant acquiring agency.

The older projects of FGEHF like the G-13 and G-14 are still in doldrums and yet they are planning to make a quick buck through these new half baked acquisitions. The government servants and members of FGEHF are in for a shock of their lives! Let’s hope NAB intervenes to protect the interests of member before its too late. In the post Panama Leaks scenario the silence of the government is strange. One expects that the Interior Minister would have taken notice of such massive irregularities being conducted in connivance and active involvement of one of his departments. However, his silence is reflective of the apathy of the state machinery and its lack of desire to combat corruption.

When Daily Times tried to contact DG Waqas Ali to ascertain his stance, his staff members said that he was busy in some meeting.