Islamabad, January 29, 2026: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Government Assurances has unanimously adopted the report of its Sub-Committee tasked with examining the levy of developmental charges on allottees in residential housing schemes of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) without completion of development work. The committee has directed the CDA to conduct a high-level inquiry to ascertain lapses and delays in the legal processes related to land acquired for new sectors, emphasizing that allottees should not be penalized for CDA’s negligence.
The meeting, chaired by Ms. Nuzhat Sadiq, MNA, was held at Parliament House. The Convener of the Sub-Committee expressed concern that the Chairman CDA failed to attend the meeting despite prior notice, describing it as a show of disrespect to the parliamentary forum. The sub-committee noted that many CDA sectors under development were entangled in decades-long litigation, and the CDA legal team showed significant inactivity, prompting the recommendation for a thorough inquiry.
The committee also took the following actions on previously given assurances:
- Bani Gala Sewerage Project: The committee disposed of the assurance regarding delays in operationalizing sewerage pipelines in Bani Gala after being informed that the lines had become operational and that a PC-1 proposal to extend the system to additional areas had been submitted to the DDWP for approval.
- Food Pricing on Motorways: The assurance by the Minister of Communications concerning exorbitant prices charged by vendors on motorways was disposed of following documentary evidence from the National Highways Authority (NHA) confirming action against delinquent vendors.
- Minimum Salaries in Ministry of Information: The committee accepted the Ministry’s response on payment of minimum salaries to employees but directed it to ensure minimum salary payments to workers of outsourced services under the ministry.
- Laptop Provision to Students of AIOU: Discussing the assurance given by the Minister for Federal Education regarding non-provision of laptops to students of Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU), the committee asked for special provisions for students from erstwhile tribal areas under the PM Laptop Scheme. The Ministry reported that 1,800 laptops have been distributed, after which the committee disposed of the assurance.
The meeting was attended by MNAs Raja Qamar ul Islam, Ms. Shahida Rehmani, Mr. Hameed Hussain, Syed Javed Ali Shah Jillani, Ms. Sofia Saeed Shah, Ms. Natasha Daultana, Ms. Shagufta Jummani, and Agha Rafiullah as mover, along with secretaries and senior officials of the relevant ministries and departments.
