**Rs. 3 Billion Financial Irregularities Exposed in Famous Housing Society in Islamabad**
A Senate committee has uncovered a massive financial scandal within the Federal Government Employees Housing Authority (FGEHA) Park Road project, revealing that Rs. 3 billion was paid out despite *no actual work* being done on the site.
The Senate Committee on Problems of Less Developed Areas discovered that a contractor secured project funds using a fraudulent bank guarantee. Shockingly, the Finance Director authorized payments without verifying the guarantee’s authenticity. Further allegations suggest the Finance Director then attempted to blackmail the contractor, threatening to blacklist the fraudulent guarantee.
Despite being transferred, the Finance Director’s name was notably absent from the ministry’s internal investigation, raising serious questions about accountability and potential cover-ups. Senators Hamid Khan and Dinesh Kumar slammed FGEHA for financial mismanagement and significant delays, noting that lawyers, among other investors, have yet to receive the plots they were promised after years of waiting.
The committee, chaired by Senator Agha Shahzeb Durrani, has demanded all relevant records to further investigate the project’s extensive irregularities.
In a separate but related incident of governmental oversight, the same committee expressed strong disapproval of the Ministry of IT and Telecom. Key officials, including the Secretary and Additional Secretary, were absent during crucial discussions on IT development and the use of Universal Service Fund (USF) resources.
The chairman questioned the officials’ absence, highlighting it as a sign of disrespect towards parliamentary proceedings. Ministry representatives cited the IT Secretary’s official visit to Azerbaijan and the Additional Secretary’s meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office as reasons for their non-attendance.
Further exacerbating the situation, none of the present officials (including two Grade-21 and one Grade-22 officer) held the position of Principal Accounting Officer.
Senator Durrani criticized the ministry’s dismissive attitude, directing the committee to send a formal letter expressing its dissatisfaction. He mandated the presence of both the Secretary and Additional Secretary at the next meeting, warning that continued absence would lead to referral to the Privilege Committee for potential disciplinary action.