KARACHI: Although tensions between the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led federal government and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) government are growing with each passing day, the Centre has asked the Sindh government to provide details of the availability of land, both government and private, for the Naya Pakistan Housing Programme.
The clash-like situation was created by both the federal government and Sindh government as Federal Minister for Information Fawad Chaudhary gave aggressive statements against Sindh government while Advisor to Chief Minister on Information Barrister Murtaza Wahab responded to him in a polite manner, saying that he (the federal minister) doesn’t know anything about the constitution.
The sources told Pakistan Today that the Prime Minister Office forwarded a letter to the Sindh Chief Secretary Syed Mumtaz Shah Bukhari, asking for the provision of the details of lands both the government and private lands.
“In order to ensure availability of land for the programme, the Prime Minister was pleased to desire that a land bank be established by the Ministry of Housing and Works within 60 days through collection of data regarding suitable lands available for this programme with the Federal and provincial governments, local bodies and private sector along with slums/katchi abadis”, according to a letter exclusively available with Pakistan Today.
The letter adds: “It is requested that the requisite information/data regarding land that may be available for the Naya Pakistan Housing Programme be furnished to Ministry of Housing and Works on priority within two weeks positively under intimation to the Prime Minister’s Office.”
On October 10, 2018, Prime Minister Imran Khan launched the Naya Pakistan Housing Programme aims to construct five million low-cost and affordable housing units across the country.
He announced the launch of the pilot project under Naya Pakistan Housing Programme in country’s seven districts including Faisalabad, Sukkur, Quetta, Dera Ismail Khan, Islamabad, Gilgit and Muzaffarabad, where NADRA would help collect the basic data of those in need of the housing through registration during the next 60 days.
The sources in the Board of Revenue said that there was meagerly state-land available for the Naya Pakistan Housing Programme as the shocking revelation was made when the revenue authorities asked deputy commissioners to point out land to establish the offices of Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA).
In reply, the deputy commissioner Larkana that there was no state-land available for any future mega project. While DC West Karachi furnished the availability of land measuring 1 acres on Mai Kolachi Bypass and proposed 4 acres land situated at K-28 Phase-II Trans Lyari Hawksbay Road Karachi for Warehouse Training Academy.
Mirpurkhas DC furnished availability of land at Mirpurkhas (1 acre), Kot Ghulam Muhammad (1 acre), Sindhri (25 Ghuntas), Dighri (irrigation bungalow having huge space is available), H B Marri (15,000 sq fts), Jhudo (30,000 sq fts).
The Umerkot deputy commissioner furnished the availability of lands as follow: Umerkot (3,000 sqm), Pithoro (1 to 50 acres), Samaro (1 to 19 acres) and Kunri (3,000 sqm).
