‘Irregularities’ in FGEHA: Senate panel seeks report from FIA

ISLAMABAD: In a pivotal meeting of the Senate Functional Committee for Less-Developed Areas, allegations surrounding the Federal Government Employees Housing Authority (FGEHA) project were brought to light as the committee is currently investigating claims of misappropriation involving a staggering Rs 1 billion 40 crore, linked to a contractor accused of submitting fake bank statements.

The meeting was chaired by Shahzeb Durrani here at Parliament House on Wednesday. He said the project land was never owned by the Authority. “Despite this, the project director disbursed full amount of the contract,” stated, questioning the actions of Nespak, the project management firm. “How did Nespak proceed without ownership of land, and what assurances were given for this project?” The committee expressed dissatisfaction over the absence of the Housing minister and secretary, urging immediate action.

A letter will be dispatched to address this issue, and the secretary Housing and Works has been summoned to provide a clarification. Additionally, the committee took decisive steps against misconduct within the ministry. “Such fraud is rampant in projects across the board,” remarked Senator Denash Kumar, advocating the immediate termination of those involved. The committee sought a thorough investigation by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) into the fraud and demanded a report within 30 days.