| ISLAMABAD - The Capital Development Authority on Wednesday issued notices to 78 former members of the National Assembly of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf to vacate their official residences in Parliament Lodges and MNA hostel within next seven days.
MNAs are allotted residences in Parliament Lodges and MNA hostel by the office of the Deputy Speaker National Assembly but their maintenance, security and other affairs are taken care of by the CDA.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf after the ousting of their party chief from the Prime Minister’s Office in result of a successful vote of no confidence in the lower house had decided to give resignations.
However, the resignations of the PTI lawmakers were not accepted by the Speaker National Assembly on one pretext or another but now the resignations of a total of 81 members have been accepted by the Speaker and same were also de-seated by the Election Commission of Pakistan.
Resultantly, the CDA has started a process to get back the possession of the official residences allocated to these members and issued them the notices.
According to the notice, these members were asked to clear their outstanding utility bills at the earliest and asked to vacate the Lodges within one week.
When contacted, the Director Parliament Lodges Faisal Gadi told The Nation that the notices have been issued to a total of 78 members, who have been allotted official residences. He said we were directed by the high-ups to retrieve the possession of lodges as the resignations of these members have already been accepted by the competent authority.
A source told this scribe that issuing of the notices is just a formality and if these members will not vacate the residences, the possession will be retrieved forcefully in presence of the Senior Special Magistrate of the CDA.
It is pertinent to mention here parliamentarians enjoy lavish family suites by paying just Rs.6000 per month, which originally cost millions of rupees to public exchequer.
In present tenure, at least 46 parliamentarians, who have their own houses in Islamabad and Rawalpindi were occupying government residences in Parliament Lodges and Government Hostel by violating the rules of allotment.
According to the Terms and Conditions for Allotment of Suites in Parliament Lodges and Government Hostel as approved by the House and Library Committee, the Members of National Assembly and Senators are entitled to get family suites on the principle of one member one suite.
However, the clause 4 of the same rules clearly states further that members having their own houses in Islamabad and Rawalpindi shall not be allotted a suite in Parliament Lodges, but the said rule is continuously being violated by MNAs and Senators.
But, according to the details of assets and liabilities of the parliamentarians submitted in Election Commission of Pakistan, a total of 64 parliamentarians including 26 Senators and 38 MNAs have their own houses in Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
However, out of total 46 lawmakers are using government residences, 7 are ministers and using minister enclave while only 11 members did not get the official residences. |
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