LAHORE: In a drive against defaulters, Punjab Law Minister Raja Basharat on Friday announced that legal notices will be served to the defaulters of the Punjab House in Islamabad.
Talking to media outside the Punjab Assembly, Basharat said the government has decided to launch action against those who used government resources and defaulted on their payment.
“Various political leaders and government functionaries owe the Punjab House a cumulative sum of Rs58 million,” he said. “We are serving notices to them in two days or so. Upon failure to make the payment, legal action will be taken against them under the Land Revenue Recovery Act,” he said.
Earlier on December 16, the Punjab government released a list of 76 politicians, bureaucrats, and others for defaulting on the payment for their stay and meals at Punjab House after Chief Minister Usman Buzdar announced that the Punjab House defaulters were supposed to pay the outstanding bills.
According to the list, PML-N leader Pervaiz Rasheed owes a hefty sum of Rs7.05 million of which Rs0.69 million is owed for his stay in 2011 from January to August and Rs6.4 million is owed for his stay between June 2013 and May 2018. His daughter Poonam Rasheed owes Rs2.7 million.
Basharat said the country suffered losses because of soaring foreign debt and delay in completion of projects during previous governments’ tenures.
The minister said a high-powered commission will soon be set up as announced by Prime Minister Imran Khan.
“The people who looted the province will be brought to book,” he said.
