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       KARACHI: The Public Account Committee of the Sindh Assembly on Monday was informed that around 70 per cent of the government flats built for the accommodation of provincial employees in Landhi had been illegally occupied by Afghan nationals and criminals.

       During the examination of the audit record of the works and services department in the PAC meeting, it was revealed that that the provincial government had also spent a hefty budget on maintenance and repair of the occupied flats.

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       PAC Chairman Nisar Khuhro, who chaired the meeting, expressed grave concern over the illegal occupation of the flats and ordered an investigation into the expenditure of millions of rupees on repair of the occupied flats.

       The meeting, attended among others by committee members Taha Ahmed and Makhdoom Fakhar-uz-Zaman and Works and Services Secretary Muhammad Ali Khoso, reviewed the audit reports of the works department from 2018 to 2021.

       Khuhro expresses anger over spending of millions of rupees on repairs of apartments

       In the meeting, the director general of audit department raised the objection that several people had occupied government flats in Landhi and the works department had spent millions of rupees on repairs on the flats where illegal occupants were residing.

       Expressing displeasure over the spending of government funds on the repair and maintenance of occupied flats, he asked as to why government property worth billions of rupees had not been reclaimed from illegal occupants and why millions of rupees had been spent on the repairs of the occupied flats. The chief engineer of the works department told the PAC that the provincial government had provided 321 flats for government employees in Landhi through services and general administration department to the Pakistan Housing Authority.

       He said that the flats had 30 per cent unfinished works, including the kitchen, and the money was spent on the work and repair of these flats.

       He said that after the completion of the work on the flats, 70pc of them were occupied by Afghans and other criminals, while the remaining flats were allotted to government employees.

       The works and services secretary told the PAC that the department was responsible for constructing and repairing flats, while the home department had the authority to vacate the premises.

       Ordering an investigation into the illegal occupation of the government flats, the PAC also sought a report from the services secretary regarding the steps and progress made in vacating the government flats from the occupants.

       Incomplete New Sindh Secretariat Complex

       Besides, the PAC also took notice of the irregularities worth millions of rupees in the construction of the Blocks 7 and 8 of the New Sindh Secretariat Complex and the stalled work on the project.

       The PAC summoned the planning and development department, law department and advocate general for a briefing in the next meeting regarding the obstacles and progress made in the construction of the project.

       The PAC was informed that the work on the New Sindh Secretariat Complex project had been stayed by the Supreme Court.

       The works secretary said that the chief secretary was also approaching the court regarding the project and the matter would be resolved soon.

       Published in Dawn, March 25th, 2025