ISLAMABAD:Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry on Tuesday told the Senate that the government had no plan to abandon Naya Pakistan housing projects.
Replying to a question during Question Hour, he said Rs6.48 billion had been spent on a housing project costing Rs7.7 billion, with only a small amount remaining for its completion.
Some projects were in Islamabad while others were being handled by the Punjab government, he said, adding that work on some Islamabad projects had slowed.
A major project of the Naya Pakistan Housing and Development Authority had been completed and was close to commissioning, he added.
Replying to a supplementary question, Tariq Chaudhry said the Punjab government had taken ownership of some projects through mutual understanding.
He said the Rs7.7 billion project had received Rs6.48 billion and the remaining work would be completed. The project was now with the Capital Development Authority (CDA), which had launched it, allotted units and was receiving installments, he added.
Responding to a question, the minister rejected allegations of irregularities or plans to abandon the projects. He said six projects had not been completed during the PTI’s four-and-a-half-year tenure, and stressed that the name ‘Naya Pakistan’ was not an issue as the projects were meant to benefit the public.
He said some completed projects had been handed over to the relevant authorities, while others were nearing completion. The government had not wasted funds on the schemes, he added.