Outstanding Rent of Residences to Be Deducted from Officers’ Salaries, Committee During the meeting, it was revealed that 10 NAB officers had been illegally residing permanently in Federal Lodges.

Outstanding Rent of Government Residences to Be Deducted from Officers’ Salaries, Committee Directs
Committee Orders Special Audit of All Federal Lodges

The committee also reviewed an audit objection regarding the non-recovery of Rs. 15.6 million in rent dues by the Ministry of Housing.

Islamabad (   Web  News  )

The subcommittee of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has directed the Ministry of Housing to deduct the outstanding rent of official residences directly from the salaries of the concerned officers. The committee also instructed the ministry to recover ground rent from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for the period January 1, 2019, to June 30, 2022. Additionally, the committee ordered a special audit of all Federal Lodges.

During the meeting, it was revealed that 10 NAB officers had been illegally residing permanently in Federal Lodges. The subcommittee meeting, chaired by Convener Moin Amir Pirzada, was held at the Parliament House to review audit objections related to the Ministry of Housing and Works from 2011–12 to 2022–23.

The committee reviewed an audit objection concerning the hiring of sub-consultants by the Pakistan Environmental Planning and Architectural Consultants Ltd (PEPAC) in violation of PPRA rules. The Secretary of Housing and Works explained that these projects were carried out under emergency conditions following an earthquake, and that the company has since been closed as part of rightsizing. The committee granted one month to resolve the matter.

Audit officials disclosed that NAB officers were allotted rooms and suites in Federal Lodges on a permanent basis since 2012, which was unauthorized and a violation of regulations. Convener Pirzada questioned, “Should we refer this matter to NAB itself? What action would we have taken if it were any institution other than NAB? Who was responsible for addressing this irregularity?”

Audit officials clarified that the assets belong to the Ministry of Housing. Senator Saleem Mandviwalla remarked that in Qasr-e-Naz, Karachi, many individuals live there without qualifying under the rules, and even the electricity supply has been disconnected. He added, “Who has been living in the Federal Lodges, and under whose authorization?” Pirzada commented that the lodges had turned into a “haunted house.”

The committee directed adherence to new rules, closing that particular audit paragraph. It again instructed a special audit of all Federal Lodges.

The committee also reviewed an audit objection regarding the non-recovery of Rs. 15.6 million in rent dues by the Ministry of Housing. It ordered that outstanding rent be recovered from the concerned officers’ salaries.

An audit report also revealed that the annex of Federal Lodge 2, adjacent to the Serena Hotel, was in dilapidated condition. The audit authorities stated that no record for this annex had been provided since 2015. The Secretary of Housing confirmed that the annex has been vacant since 2015 due to its deteriorated condition. The committee directed the ministry to verify the annex’s condition and submit a report within 30 days.

The committee further reviewed an audit objection regarding the non-recovery of Rs. 17.7 million in ground rent from the PCB. Audit officials stated that the Ministry of Housing had failed to collect rent for the period January 1, 2019, to June 30, 2022. The ministry had leased 505,700 square yards of land in Karachi to the PCB for 99 years at Rs. 10 per square yard. The committee directed the recovery of the outstanding amount from the PCB and further instructed the ministry to collect rent from other institutions occupying government land as well.