Key Takeaways
- The Senate Housing Committee has instructed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to probe alleged annexation of Shamilaat and forest land in Sky Gardens.
- The committee also examined the status of Green Enclave-I and the ongoing anti-encroachment operations in various sectors of Islamabad.
- NAB has reopened its inquiry into the alleged annexation of Shamilaat land in Mouza Mengal.
The Senate Housing Committee has directed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to investigate the alleged annexation of Shamilaat and forest land in the Sky Gardens Housing Scheme, raising fresh questions over land ownership, development approvals, and the role of revenue authorities.
The committee, chaired by Senator Nasir Mehmood, met on Tuesday to discuss the alleged annexation of Shamilaat and forest lands to Sky Gardens and Green Enclave-II, the litigation status of Green Enclave-I, and the briefing by NAB on FGEHA housing schemes.
The committee was also briefed on ongoing anti-encroachment operations in various sectors of Islamabad, with more than 60 percent of encroachments cleared and approximately 3,000 kanals of encroached land recovered.
The chairman directed the Federal Government Employees Housing Authority (FGEHA) to continue the anti-encroachment drive and ensure the clearance of all encroachments from its schemes.
The committee received a detailed briefing on the Green Enclave-I housing scheme, where NAB informed that an inquiry into the project had been quashed following clearance from the Supreme Court of Pakistan in 2018.
Despite the clearance, the project remained incomplete for several years, resulting in significant cost escalation and hardship for allottees. The committee expressed serious concern over the prolonged delay and difficulties faced by the affectees.
The chairman questioned the performance of FGEHA’s Joint Venture (JV) partner and its ability to fulfill contractual obligations, particularly in view of the prolonged delay. The committee observed that FGEHA had not invoked any penalty clause despite the delays by the JV partner.
The committee was informed that a third-party evaluation of the ongoing construction had been conducted by a consultant, and the amount released corresponded to approximately 52 percent of the work completed.
FGEHA informed the committee that negotiations with the JV partner had been concluded and approval from the FGEHA Board was awaited regarding cost escalation. The JV partner assured the committee that Green Enclave-I would be completed within the next 18 months.
The committee also examined the alleged annexation of Shamilaat and forest lands in the FGEHA’s Sky Gardens housing scheme. The committee was informed that the JV partner had transferred the land to FGEHA free of cost, but the Supreme Court of Pakistan had directed that no construction or development be carried out on Shamilaat land.
NAB informed the committee that its inquiry into the alleged annexation of Shamilaat land in Mouza Mengal had been reopened after FGEHA issued an addendum including Mouza Mengal in the development works.
