GOR Housing Allotments: A Story of Corruption and Nepotism

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A Story by Anwar Hussain Sumra

Forty-three senior federal government officers who have been posted in the federal government for a long time are still living in the Government Officers Residence, GOR- 1, Government of Punjab. Resultantly, several allotment-eligible officers posted in Punjab are living in government houses or on rent or of a lower category than their allotted qualifications. It is pertinent to mention that these federal officers still possess the Punjab governmental residences despite their transfer to the federal government. Moreover, the total number of houses in GOR One is 173, in which the number of houses allocated for different positions is 50, of which ten are for provincial ministers, 23 are judges of the Supreme Court and Lahore High Court, four houses are reserved for the Chief Minister, 12 homes are allocated for different positions. At the same time, a Naval War College is established in a house. All the residences of GOR-1 are of the A category, and according to the policy, the number of eligible officers is more than 120. If these houses are not vacated, the qualified officers in Punjab will not be given category A government houses for the next five years. However, this is not the ploy, as the illegal occupation of senior officers continues to haunt the merit and transparency.

According to the historical details and investigation, the British rulers had established GOR in 1915 on a large piece of land adjacent to Mall Road on 1500 canals to provide residential facilities to the top civil and police officers posted in the region. Initially, there were a few houses in GOR, but their number increased to 173 as public money was spent without accountability. Most of these houses range from two kanal to 52 canal houses, most of which are in the A category. All the houses on Ekman Road have an area between 20 and 25 canals. Under the Punjab Government Residence Allotment Policy 2021, eligibility for allotment in GOR One is for Grade 20 and 21 civil officers or posted as Provincial Secretary. The Punjab government spends more than 20 crores annually on the maintenance of these houses. Of these total houses, 43 are inhabited by officers who were once posted in Punjab. After that, they went to the federal government for a long time but stayed in the official residences. Among these officers is Babar Hayat Tarar in 2017, Jalal Sikandar Sultan Raja in 2018, Wasim Ajmal Chaudhry in 2016, Captain (retd) Muhammad Mahmood in 2010, Yousuf Naseem Khokhar in 2007, Gulzar Hussain Shah in 2021, Muhammad Younis in 2020, Shaukat Ali in 2013, Imdadullah Bosal in 2013, Arshad Mehmood in 2014, Iftikhar Sahoo in 2016, Rashid Mansoor in 2019, Haroon Rafique in 2016, Saeed Ahmed Nawaz in 2013, Zahid Saeed in 2016, Sher Alam Masood in 2019, Samira Samad in 2020, Ishrat Ali in 2015, Sajid Chauhan in 2020, Ali Tahir Sheikh in 2012. Mujtabi Pracha in 2017, Dr Shoaib Akbar in 2014, Jahanzeb Khan in 2011, Akbar Durrani in 2018, Khaqan Babar in 2011, Khawaja Dawood in 2014, Shanul Haque in 2019, Khurram Agha in 2016, Hamid Yakub Sheikh in 2011, Dawood Bridge in 2013, Tariq Najib Najmi in 2011, Dr Ajmal Khan in 2018, Umar Rasool in 2008, Zafar Nasrullah in 2018, Farhan Aziz Khawaja in 2011, Momin Agha in 2012, Hassan Iqbal in 2016, Tahir Khurshid in 2019, Wasim Mukhtar in 2011 and Captain (Rtd) Muhammad Asif were allotted houses in GOR-1 Mall Road in 2018. . These officers have been appointed in the federal government for many years. A senior official of the federal government said that some of these officers have been allotted or are keeping government houses in the federal government as well. Four of these officers have retired on completion of their tenure.

The sources within the federal government have further claimed that most of the officers have submitted an affidavit in the federal government departments that they do not have residences; therefore, they should be allotted residences in the federal government. They further claim that they have violated the oath and the nation’s mistrust. Furthermore, millions of rupees are being spent annually on these residences. Then, not only houses, several federal officers are keeping provincial drivers, housekeepers, vehicles and much more. It also raises a fundamental question, can governments bring change with these bureaucrats who are not only breaching the oath but also committing white-collar corruption?

When contacted, a senior Punjab government official said that under the relevant policy, before 2021, any government officer could keep a house for three years after transfer from Punjab. He said that later the policy was changed. He further informed me that this policy is being revised, and it will be allowed to keep the house for three years. He further told me that a survey is also being conducted to reduce the size of the houses, according to which the larger house will consist of four canals. He further said that 43 houses have federally appointed officers while the number of houses allotted due to different positions is 50. Thus, 80 houses are left for 120 qualified officers who face tough competition. He further said that if the houses of the officers posted in the federation are vacated, government residences can be provided to many eligible officers. Lastly, the allotment policy is prepared by the top federal bureaucracy, which only designed it to benefit them. Even legal experts say that the housing policy is not covered under an organic act, thus, is illegal in the eyes of the law. Further, they criticize how federal officers posted outside the provinces can keep the houses. This is one glaring example of how bureaucracy deals with state resources. Even it is being done in the province despite the tall claims of Imran Khan and PTI.