LAHORE: Several departments of the government have not paid their due rents to Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) in last few years and the due amount has crossed billions of rupees whereas, the ETPB has been sending notices and letters to the concerned departments for making the payments, Pakistan Today has learnt.
As per the notice, a copy of which is available with Pakistan Today, “The Textile Industry owes Rs4,39,19,47 to ETPB and the amount has not been paid since 2018. Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) has to pay its dues to ETPB from 29-1-2019 till 30-6-2019 which is Rs50,03,494 whereas, the National Heritage has to pay its dues amounting to Rs2,67,60,961 since 17-5-2017 till 30-6-2019.”
The notice also mentions that the Agriculture Policy Institute has taken land from the ETPB and has to pay Rs 54,05,580 from 11-2-2019 till 30-6-2019. Minister Office ET Complex owes an amount of Rs45,01,604 which is payable for the period from 1-7-2019 till 30-6-2019, Information Technology has to pay Rs8,69,20,285 for the period of 1-7-2017 till 30-6-2019, Science and Technology owes Rs1,95,53,022 for the period of 5-12-2012 till 30-6-2013, Pakistan National Accreditation Council (PNAC) is liable to pay an amount of Rs76,78,191 for the time from 12-6-2014 to 21-4-2015, National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) has to pay Rs24,00,873 for the period of 10-4-2019 to 30-4-2019, National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) is liable for an amount of Rs47,30,895 from 19-7-2018 till 31-5-2019.
Further, the notice also mentions that the Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI) has previous arrears of Rs 23,44,472 which the ETPB has directed them to pay till June 2019.
Sources from the ETPB said that the ETPB chairman has directed the staff to hold meetings with all the departments having liabilities and actions should be taken against them as per law in order to make recoveries.
Speaking on the matter, ETPB Secretary Tariq Wazir said, “We have sent notices to all the defaulters so that we can recover the government’s money. We are taking all measures for the recovery of dues and we will adopt all legal procedures to meet this objective.”
