Senate panel to raise minister’s absence with PM
Committee orders clearance of PWD salaries before Eid
ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Housing and Works expressed strong dissatisfaction over the repeated absence of Federal Minister for Housing and Works Riaz Pirzada from committee meetings and decided to bring the matter to the Prime Minister’s attention.
The committee, chaired by Senator Nasser Mahmood, also voiced deep concern over the non-payment of salaries to Pakistan PWD employees, noting that staff members are facing severe hardships and that two employees have reportedly died of heart attacks. The chairman directed that all pending salaries be cleared before Eid, warning that the salaries of responsible officers would otherwise be withheld.
The meeting reviewed several key issues, including unpaid salaries of former PWD employees, departmental mergers, ownership of Chamba House in Lahore, and reforms in journalists’ housing quotas. Senators Bilal Ahmed Khan, Jan Muhammad, Hidayatullah Khan, Abdul Shakoor Khan, Khalida Atif, Husna Bano, Muhammad Aslam Abro, and Saifullah Abro attended the session. Representatives of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and the Rawalpindi-Islamabad Union of Journalists (RIUJ), along with senior officials from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, were also present to brief the committee on journalists’ housing policies.
During the session, the committee was informed that, under a federal cabinet decision dated September 6, 2024, PWD maintenance staff were transferred to the CDA, State Office, and other ministries. Approximately 91 percent of the employees (2,940 staff members) have been successfully transferred and are receiving regular salaries. The transfers of 173 employees (6 percent) have been completed but are awaiting the release of funds from the Ministry of Finance, while the remaining 112 employees (3 percent) are in the final stages of transfer.
Senator Nasser Mahmood reiterated the urgency of the matter, emphasizing that employees are facing severe hardships, and ordered that all pending payments be disbursed before Eid. He warned that any delay would result in the stoppage of salaries of the responsible officers.
The committee also reviewed the ownership status of Chamba House in Lahore, with the State Office Lahore coordinating with the provincial government to verify records and reconcile PWD payment documentation.
Regarding journalists’ housing, the committee approved the formation of a scrutiny committee comprising representatives from PFUJ, RIUJ, and other relevant organizations to ensure transparent plot allotments. It recommended restoring a two percent housing quota for journalists and directed the scrutiny committee to submit its report to the standing committee within three months.
Officials from the Ministry of Information briefed the committee that the “first come, first served” policy would be replaced with a seniority-based allotment system, with a formal summary to be submitted later this week. The committee concluded that any delay in salary payments or unfair treatment of employees would not be tolerated, emphasizing transparency, accountability, and immediate relief. Syed Naveed Jamal
