ISLAMABAD, Feb 9: In a strange coincidence, when Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani was inaugurating a housing scheme for over 600 officers of grade 20-22 in the capital city, Justice Mohammad Anwar Khan Kasi of Islamabad High Court restrained the Pakistan Housing Authority Foundation (PHAF) from proceeding with the project.

The Kurri Road Housing Scheme was launched for the officials of occupational services group, Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), Intelligence Bureau (IB), National Assembly, Senate and the Supreme Court.

Justice Kasi passed the order while hearing the petition of Mohammad Aslam, a former deputy registrar, Zahir Shah, joint secretary ministry of water and power, and Mohammad Afzal, joint secretary ministry of economic affairs.

The petitioners maintained that the government in lines with Pakistan Army Welfare Directorate had introduced the housing scheme on 90 acres for the officers of the federal government and the PHAF was assigned the job to construct the houses at affordable prices.

According to them, PHAF offered three categories of houses and fixed Rs15.4 million for the residential units of 50x90 feet, Rs12.6 million for 40x80 feet and Rs7.5 million for 30x60 feet. The petitioner added that the rates of these residential units were much higher than those fixed for army officers by Army Welfare Directorate, adding in Rs7.5 million an army officer could get a plot of 50x90 feet. The government servants in BPS-11 and below were entitled to 30x60 feet residential units under the entitlement policy of the Federal Government Employees Housing Foundation but PHAF offered the same to BPS-20-22 on a much higher prices.

However, Sajjad Awan, the director PHAF, told the court that the offer was in accordance with the set criteria. He admitted that he was not fully aware of the legal aspects of the matter and needed time for submitting a detailed reply.

The court adjourned the matter till February 15 and directed the respondents - the prime minister, ministry of housing and works and managing director PHAF - to maintain the status quo on the project till the next order.

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