ISLAMABAD, Aug 25 (APP):The Senate on Tuesday referred the matter of increasing the housing quota for journalists and media workers from one per cent to two per cent to the concerned committee. Senator Jan Muhammad, Senator Syed Waqar Mehdi, Senator Muhammad Azam Khan Swati and Senator Muhammad Talha Mahmood raised the issue, questioning why the Ministry of Housing and Works was implementing a one per cent quota instead of the …
Senate refers journalists’ housing quota issue to committee
ISLAMABAD, Aug 25 (APP):The Senate on Tuesday referred the matter of increasing the housing quota for journalists and media workers from one per cent to two per cent to the concerned committee.
Senator Jan Muhammad, Senator Syed Waqar Mehdi, Senator Muhammad Azam Khan Swati and Senator Muhammad Talha Mahmood raised the issue, questioning why the Ministry of Housing and Works was implementing a one per cent quota instead of the approved two per cent.
They asked whether the number of journalists and media workers had decreased, leading to the reduction in the quota from two per cent to one per cent.
Minister for Housing and Works, Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada assured the House that the housing quota for journalists and media workers could be increased from one per cent to two per cent in consultation with the concerned ministry.
He said the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting was responsible for providing approved lists for the quota.
The minister said that under the terms and conditions of allotment approved by the Executive Committee of the Federal Government Employees Housing Authority in its 133rd and 142nd meetings held on June 17, 2015, and September 28, 2016, respectively, a two per cent quota each had been reserved for journalists and media workers under Membership Drive-I.
However, under Membership Drive-II, a one per cent quota each had been reserved for journalists and media workers, he added.
He said cases relating to journalists and media workers’ quotas were referred to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for scrutiny and recommendations before allotment.
The minister said the quota would be fully utilized in accordance with the approved policy and recommendations.
He said all applicants, including journalists and media workers who applied for apartments under the Federal Government Employees Housing Authority, had been accommodated in all apartment schemes reserved for them since January 1, 2015, to date.
