Senate Committee orders immediate action on widow’s housing dispute amid allegations of misallocation

ISLAMABAD, Nov 13 (SABAH): A meeting of the sub-committee of the Senate Standing Committee on Housing and Works, chaired by Senator Raja Nasir Abbas, convened today at the Parliament House to address the pressing issue of a widow’s contested claim over an official residence. The meeting was attended by Senator Muhammad Aslam Abro and senior officials from the Ministry of Housing and Works.  

The dispute centers on an application submitted by a widow, who claims that her late husband’s official residence was wrongfully allocated to an individual not entitled for government accommodation. She has alleged that the allotment was made under questionable circumstances and that she has been denied access to the residence despite her entitlement.  

According to the Ministry of Housing and Works, Quarter No. 9/9-D in G-9/2 was originally allotted to Allah Ditto, a Security Assistant with the Senate Secretariat, on 3rd August 1999. Ditto occupied the residence on 11th August 2001, and he passed away on 8th September 2023, after retiring on 16th April 2024. The Ministry clarified that under the existing rules, the widow of a deceased allottee is entitled to retain the government accommodation until the deceased’s superannuation age, or as stipulated under the Prime Minister’s Assistance Package, whichever is less.  

However, in this case, the widow failed to join government service by the required deadline of 16th April 2024, resulting in the cancellation of the allotment from 17th April 2024, with formal notice served on 19th July 2024.  

The house was subsequently allotted to Amjad Khan, a Computer Lab Assistant with the Pakistan Planning and Management Institute, on 2nd July 2024, following his registration on the General Waiting List. The widow’s belongings were reportedly removed from the house, and the house was handed over to Khan on 29th August 2024.  

The committee heard emotional testimony from the widow, who accused the authorities of wrongful possession, claiming that high-level influence had led to the allotment of the house to an ineligible individual. She further alleged that her family had been harassed and threatened by the new occupant, and that she had been denied access to her personal property, including her car, which remains inside the residence.  

The widow also claimed that previous rulings by the ombudsman had been in her favor, and she accused the Ministry of misleading the committee with inaccurate facts and manipulation of the case.  

In response, the committee instructed the Ministry of Housing and Works to restore possession of the residence to the widow until the matter is fully resolved. The committee also demanded that the Ministry provide a detailed service profile of  Amjad Khan in the next meeting.  

Further inquiries will include a review of similar cases handled by the ombudsman, the decisions regarding policy relaxations, and an in-depth briefing on the competent authorities responsible for managing such cases.  

The committee agreed to defer the matter for further deliberation upon the request of the Ministry, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive investigation to ensure fairness and transparency in the resolution of this case.