National Assembly on Tuesday passed a bill for the abolition of all discretionary quotas in housing schemes in the public sector.
“The Abolition of Discretionary Quotas in Housing Schemes Bill 2011” was moved by the opposition MNA Zahid Hamid, which was not opposed by the government and was passed unanimously.
Zahid informed the House that the bill intended to stop the designated authority to allot plots in public schemes at his own discretion, out of merit.
“Unfortunately the plot culture, over the time, had been plaguing society and it had become imperative to abolish the discretionary quota,” he said, “Allotment through the discretionary quota was simply used to favour a few.”
He also mentioned a Supreme Court decision regarding the issue and claimed that despite the decision, the practice had been in vogue for a certain time period and a number of cases had surfaced before the Public Accounts Committee of the House.
He explained that some exemptions had been recorded in the bill to benefit widows, heirs of martyrs and employees who had suffered disability during service.
