ISLAMABAD, May 5: Ban on allotment of official accommodation to government employees has been lifted and houses are being allotted on the basis of new policy framed on the directives of the federal Housing Minister Haji Rehmatullah Kakar, official sources told Dawn.

According to the new policy, 90 per cent of allotments would be made on the basis of seniority and length of service of a government employee. The rest would be allotted on the out-of-turn basis, the policy says.

The ministry, however, faces tough time as there was hardly any house or flat left unallotted whereas the rush of people seeking allotments is rising day by day. The previous caretaker housing minister Nisar Khan and those before him— Safwanullah and Iqbal Muhammad Ali Khan —issued allotment letters even for houses whose occupants are to retire in 2010 and 2015, the sources said.

Taking strict notice of irregularities and use of unfair means, the Caretaker Prime Minister Mohammadmian Soomroo imposed ban on all kinds of allotments of government houses.

The ban was lifted after the strenuous efforts of the incumbent federal housing minister in order to resolve the pressing accommodation problems being faced by the government employees due to the phenomenal rise in rents especially in Islamabad.

Soon after the incumbent housing minister assumed charge of the ministry, he formulated a new allotment policy. The new policy for allotment has been approved by the cabinet and all new allotments will be made in accordance with the rules and regulations set in the policy.

The sources said a general waiting list would be displayed on the ministry website. People will themselves check their names and turn for allotment of government accommodation.

Syed Irfan Raza adds: In a surprise move, Federal Housing Minister Rehmatullah Kakar and top officials of the ministry visited Bahria Town, a private housing scheme being developed near Rawat, says an official press release.

Accompanied by newly posted secretary housing Samiul Haq Khiljee and director general National Housing Authority (NHA), the minister inspected and reviewed various technical and architectural aspects and infrastructure of the housing scheme.

He directed officials of his ministry to follow the design, structural and latest construction technologies of Awami Villas project of Bahria Town as the ministry will soon launch its own housing scheme for federal government employees under Prime Minister Programme. Under the scheme apartments and houses will be constructed for low-income group and officers of the federal government.

Analysts termed the visit of the federal housing minister along with top bureaucrats of the ministry a “surprise move” as it is for the first time that any federal and housing ministry’s official has visited Bahria Town Scheme that remained controversial for many years due to alleged land grabbing by its developers.

However, it has been learnt that the Bahria Town had settled all its controversial issues with Capital Development Authority (CDA) due to interference of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and its management has withdrawn its claim on some 500 kanal controversial land in favour of the CDA.

Now, the CDA has started installation of pillars on the vacated land to ensure its possession on it. The authority had also defined the width of the River Soan whose land was also allegedly occupied by the housing scheme. Under the deal, the owners of the scheme will construct embankment on the river to prevent spilling of its water into residential schemes located along Bahria Town and Sihala area during floods.