ISLAMABAD: The Federal Government Employees Authority (FGEHA) has decided to get opinion from the Law and Justice Division before changing the land-sharing formula and the land provider for its stalled Park Road Housing Scheme.

The scheme is a joint venture of the FGEHA and the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) and is being developed near Comsats University on Park Road in the revenue estates of Tamma and Mariyan. There are a total of 4,781 plots, out of which 2,088 are for the FGEHA and 2,693 for the SCBA members.

The scheme was started years ago, but its development could not be completed due to land possession issues and alleged corruption in development work by the previous contractor, which was pointed out last year.

Sources in FGEHA told Dawn that the authority had decided to change the land provider to make progress in the project. They said that last week the matter was presented before the executive board, headed by Housing Minister Riaz Hussain Pirzada, which gave the go-ahead signal to FGEHA for changing the land provider and directed it to get legal opinion from the Law and Justice Division.

The sources said the board was briefed about the ongoing development challenges associated with Park Road Scheme, specifically regarding the land acquisition and financial constraints.

“The board was informed that total acquired land for Park Road scheme spanned three Mouzas (revenue estates) - MouzaTamma (2024 kanals), Mohriyan (6315 kanals) and Mauza Chak Frash (92 kanals). Of this, FGEHA held ownership on 2145 kanals in Mouza Mohriyan and 46 kanals in Chak Farash while all land in Mouza Tamma belonged solely to FGEHA,” read a document of FGEHA.

The approved compensation rates stood at Rs8.3 million per kanal for Mouza Tamma and Rs3.4 million per kanal for Mohriyan and Mauza Chak Frash.

“Given the higher cost of land in Mouza Tamma, the board had previously directed FGEHA to explore a land-sharing model and preferred payment option. However, landowners were now demanding direct payment for their acquired land, placing significant financial pressure on FGEHA,” according to the document.

The board was also informed that the primary available funding source was non-balloted residential plots in Block A and G of Park Road Scheme.

“Notably, Block A spanned both Mauza Tamma and Mauza Mohriyan, while Block G fell entirely within Mouza Mohriyan,” read the document.

“To address financial shortfall, the board was informed that FGEHA could consider offering non-balloted residential plot files at a revised land-sharing ratio of 1:3 with a uniform rate of Rs8.3 million per kanal. The adjustment would enable payment of acquired land in Mauza Tamma without any financial loss to FGEHA.”

Additionally, the SCBA had engaged Extol Estate and Builders as a land provider for its share as decided in a joint meeting amongst FGEHA SCBA and DHA owing to dissatisfaction over the previous land provider,” the document added.

It stated that the FGEHA pleaded before the board, “FGEHA should also engage the same firm for land sharing in Mouza Tamma. It was proposed that files be issued to the land provider only after the landowners complete the requisite legal formalities, including recording Tark-i-Qabza statements on acquaintance roll in presence of witnesses, online verification etc.”

The sources in FGEHA said the board conducted a detailed discussion on legality and precedence of engaging the land provider and changing the land-sharing ratio from 1:4 to 1:3.

“The board directed the FGEHA to get legal opinion from the law ministry regarding both the issues - changing the land provider and the land sharing ratio from 1:4 to 1:3. The board will take up the issue again in its next meeting.

Published in Dawn, March 22nd, 2025