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ISLAMABAD, Feb 10 (APP):Federal Minister for Housing and Works Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada on Monday acknowledged the need for residential schemes for federal government employees but confirmed that no such schemes are currently under consideration.
He also provided clarity on the roles and responsibilities of federal and provincial governments in regulating housing societies and addressing the housing needs of federal employees.
During the Question Hour of the National Assembly Session, the minister emphasized that, under the 18th Amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan, housing is a provincial subject. This means provincial departments are empowered to handle regulatory functions, including the processing and approval of No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for new housing societies. However, in the case of Islamabad, this responsibility falls under the Capital Development Authority (CDA), which operates under the Ministry of Interior.
Responding to a supplementary question, Pirzada explained that, as per the Rules of Business 1973, the Ministry of Housing and Works is not tasked with granting NOCs to housing societies. Instead, two specialized entities—the Federal Government Employees Housing Authority (FGEHA) and the Pakistan Housing Authority Foundation (PHA-F)—are mandated to develop housing schemes.
The FGEHA is specifically responsible for planning and developing housing schemes for serving and retired federal government employees, as well as other specified groups. Meanwhile, the PHA-F focuses on constructing apartments and housing schemes for federal employees and low-income groups.
To ensure timely completion of projects, the FGEHA collaborates with joint venture partners under Joint Venture Agreements and Construction Agreements. Similarly, the PHA-F engages reputable national and international engineering consultants and contractors through an open bidding process, adhering to the rules and regulations of the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA), he added.