Defence Officers Housing Scheme, Jhelum Road, Rawalpindi Cantt was launched in the 60s. Its existence is not known to most, as there is no name of the society anywhere on a board. People who want to visit it have a problem locating it, Rescue 1122, police, courier and home delivery as well as technicians, etc. cannot find it. Existence of the housing scheme is known to the cantonment staff, responsible for collection of house tax and conservancy charges, but not to any other staff, which is evident from absence of the standard cantonment services like sanitary, garbage dump, drainage, gardening, street repair, street lights, etc.
Luckily, water, gas, electricity are efficiently supplied by MES, Sui Northern and IESCO. Other services are arranged by residents themselves. This housing scheme is also used by many over speeding motorcyclists as an unauthorised passage, who drive both on the underpass road and Jhelum Road in opposite directions. Someone has removed, one of the seven heavy concrete blocks, meant to stop this illegal and hazardous traffic, and placed it nearby.
In the past, two retired senior army officers tried and applied for the name board and services but left this world without any success. Now, I am over 80 and waiting for a miracle to happen! Every change in command brings a new hope. So, I hope the present command will be kind enough to locate the housing scheme and examine taxes collected so far and the services being provided.
M AKRAM NIAZI,
Rawalpindi, June 4.