11 hostels for working women illegally occupied, PAC told

Eleven hostels built by the Sindh government in different districts of the province for working women have been under illegal occupation by senior administrative, education and police officials, it emerged on Wednesday.

The concerned members of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the provincial assembly were briefed about the illegal occupation of hostels for working women, as it considered the audit paras pertaining to the financial accounts of the women development department.

PAC Chairman Nisar Ahmed Khuhro inquired about the status of hostels built by the women development department for working women. PAC members were informed that the hostel in Sukkur houses the office of the district’s deputy commissioner, while a senior police official has his office in the hostel in Nawabshah.

Other hostels are also occupied because of the offices established by officials of the education and other government departments. The PAC told the relevant officials to immediately free the hostels from illegal occupation by different officials and government departments.

The PAC also directed the Anti-Corruption Establishment to conduct an investigation into the reported expenditure of Rs210 million for procuring a private plot of land, instead of government land, and later constructing the Women Complex in Sukkur.

The PAC also asked the women development secretary to inquire into the expenditure of Rs83 million merely on conducting an awareness session and purchasing vehicles under the Gender Reforms Action Plan. Further implementation of the action plan was later shelved.

PAC members were also informed that a summary containing the names of five nominees has been forwarded for the appointment of the new chairperson of the Sindh Commission on the Status of Women.

The chief secretary objected to two names because of their age. The chief minister and PA opposition leader will later consult each other and agree on the name of one of the nominees for her appointment as the new chairperson.

During its meeting on Monday, the PAC was informed that up to 70 per cent of flats in the Landhi area for government employees were under illegal occupation. Those involved in illegal occupation included Afghan refugees and criminals.

The committee was briefed that a total of 321 flats had been purchased by the Services and General Administration Department from the Pakistan Housing Authority to provide accommodation to the government personnel.

Up to 30 per cent flats were allotted to the bona fide government staffers, while the remaining 70 per cent of the flats were under illegal occupation. The PAC chairman expressed displeasure with the apathy shown by the relevant officials towards the flats under illegal occupation.

A chief engineer of the works and services department told the PAC members that the repair and maintenance budget had been spent to build up to 30 per cent incomplete portion of the flats. He said the Sindh government's home department was responsible for vacating the flats under illegal occupation.