ISLAMABAD - At least 46 parliamentarians, who have their own houses in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, are occupying government residences in Parliament Lodges and Government Hostel by violating the rules of allotment.

These parliamentarians are enjoying lavish family suites by paying just Rs 6,000 per month, which originally cost millions of rupees to the public exchequer.

According to the Terms and Conditions for Allotment of Suites in Parliament Lodges and Government Hostel as approved by the House and Library Committee, the Members of the National Assembly and Senators are entitled to get family suits on the principle of one member one suit.

However, clause 4 of the same rules clearly states further that members having their own houses in Islamabad and Rawalpindi shall not be allotted a suite in Parliament Lodges, but MNAs and Senators are continuously violating the said rule.

According to the details of assets and liabilities of the parliamentarians submitted in the Election Commission of Pakistan, a total of 64 parliamentarians, including 26 senators and 38 MNAs have their own houses in Islamabad and Rawalpindi. However, out of total 46 lawmakers are using government residences, 7 are ministers and using minister enclave while only 11 members did not get the official homes.

Senators Dr. Rahila Magsi owns a bungalow in Chak Shahzad Islamabad but also holding room 202 at block H of the parliament lodges. Lt. General Abdul Qayum own house number on Margalla Road, Sector F-11/2 Islamabad, but living in room 309 in block G. Senator Waleed Iqbal has a farmhouse in Chak Shahzad, Islamabad. Still, he is living in room 202 in Block G.

Senator Najma Hameed has her own house in Satellite Town Rawalpindi, but she is using Room 207 in Block F. Senator Islam-ud-Deen Shaikh own house in sector G-10/2 but also using Room 403 in Block F.

Senator Attique Shaikh is the owner of a house at Bahria Town, Phase-I Islamabad but using room 109 in Block G. Mian Raza Rabbani have a residential property in Country club apartments Islamabad, but he is using Room 308 in Block A. Senator Liaqat Khan has a house in F7/2 but using room 05 in Block J.

Senator Javed Abbasi owns a house at F-11/4 Islamabad but also using room 307 in block A. Professor Mahr Taj Rogani declared an apartment number FF04, G7/1, Islamabad, but using Room 108 in Block H.

Senator Ahmed Khan owns an apartment at Centaurus Mall Islamabad but also holding Room 11 in Block J. Senator Dr. Ashok Kumar also has a personal residence in Islamabad but living in Room 211 in Block E.

Senator Aurangzaib Khan owns a residential house at Bahria Town but using Room 05 in Block A. Senator Taj Muhammad Afridi declared several properties in Rawalpindi, but still, he is using Room 108 in Block F. Senator Sajjad Hussain have two residential properties in G-11-3 and F-11-3, but he is allotted the Room 305 in Block A.  

On the other side, MNA Muhammad Bashir Khan declared one Kannal House at Bahria Town Islamabad but living in Room 01 of Block J. Junaid Akbar owns House in G10/2 but using Room 411 in Block J.

Imran Khattak owns a house at Sector G13/2, but using Room 307 in Block H. Noor Alam Khan has a home at Bani Gala but living in room 108 in block C. Shaukat Ali own a 10 Marla House at Bahria Town Rawalpindi but living at Room 402 in Block J.

Khayal Zaman has a House at Phase 3 in Bahria Town Rawalpindi, but living in Room 306 in Block G. Raja Khuram Nawaz is a local MNA from the capital city, and he owns a house at Tumair, Islamabad. Still, he also holds a family suite 15 at the government hostel.

Saddaqat Ali Khan has a house in I-8/4, but he is using room 108 in block J, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf has a personal residence in F-8/4, but living at Room 202 in Block F. Ghulam Sarver Khan have a residential property at Taxila, Rawalpindi, but he also holds Room 305 in Block J.  

Shaikh Rashid Shafique declared two houses in Rawalpindi, but he is using family suite number 11 in Government Hostel. Ch. Farukh Altaf has two houses in Sector E-7, but he is living in Room 205 in Block G.

Mehnaz Akber Aziz owns a house in F/6-2, but using Room 311 in block H. Ch. Barjees Tahir declared two flats at sector G10 but using Room 205 in block C. Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has a house in F7/2 but using Room 09 in Block J.

Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada has 3 kanals house at Mohra Noor, but Room 107 in Block E is also allotted to him. Makhdom Sami-ul-Hassan has an apartment in Khudadad Heights Islamabad, but he is using Room 104 in Block E.

Sheikh Fayaz-ud-Din has a house in F6/1, Islamabad, but he is using Room 404 in Block A. Makhdom Khusro Bakhtyar owns a residence in F-8/3 but using Room 407 in Block J.

Khalid Ahmed Khan Lund owns a House 40, F-10 Islamabad but living in Room 403 in Block A. The brother-in-law of former president Asif Ali Zardari, Mir Munawar Talpur has a house in F8/2, but he is living at Room 208 in Block E.

Tahira Aourangazib has her own house in Satellite Town, Rawalpindi, but she is holding Room 302 in Block J. Syeda Zahra Wadood Fatmi have a house at Bani Gala, but she is living in Family Suite 13 at Government Hostel.

Zeb Jafer owns a house in F-8-3, but she is living in Room 105 in Block F. Seema Mohi-ud-din Jamali has listed her personal residence to be in I-8/2, but she is holding room 105 in block F as well.

Asma Qadeer owns a House 36, Executive Lodges Bahria Town Rawalpindi, but she is living in Family Suite 42 of Government Hostel. Kanwal Shauzab owns a house in I-8/4, but she is living at Family Suite-35 in Government Hostel.

Aliya Kamran has declared a house at Islamabad, but she is using Room 107 in Block H. Ramesh Lal own a house in Sector F-6 but also using Room 212 at Block G.

Interestingly, Speaker National Assembly Asad Qasir is also retaining a room 207 in block A of the parliament lodges besides having his own house at Bani Gala and the allotment of the speaker’s house inside the minister’s enclave.

On the other hand, there are several parliament members, who have declared houses in Islamabad and Rawalpindi but have not availed of the government facility. These members include MNAs Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Amir Mehmood Kiani, Senators Asad Ali Junejo, Chaudhry Tanveer Ali Khan, Raja Zafer ul Haq, Dr. Shahzad Waseem, Nuzaht Sadiq, Mustafa Nawaz Khokar, Syed Shibli Faraz, Mohsin Aziz and Talha Mahmood.

Both the parliament lodges and government hostel is under the custody of Capital Development Authority (CDA), but the allotments to the members are being made by the deputy chairman Senate and deputy speaker National Assembly.  

The Senate and National Assembly Secretariats were sent written questions regarding allotment of parliament lodges while ignoring the rules by The Nation through their respective public relations directorates a few weeks ago; however, they did not reply till filing of this story.

The parliamentarians have their own justifications for this violation of rules when they were asked for comment. MNA Noor Alam Khattak has said that the house declared in his returns was for business purposes, and it is for sale nowadays.

Former Chairman Senate Mian Raza Rabbani said that he declared an apartment, but it is not under the territorial limits of Islamabad. It is pertinent to mention here that he himself mentioned in his asset’s declaration that the said apartment is in Islamabad.

Senator Waleed Iqbal clarified that though he declared a farmhouse in Islamabad, in fact, it is not a house but a vacant plot. He, however, said that anybody using parliament lodges in the presence of their own house is doing an immoral act.

While responding on the issue, Lt. General Abdul Qayyum told that the house declared in his returns has now been transferred to his son, and after the said transfer of title, he had obtained the room in parliament lodges.

It is worth mentioning here that some of the married couples are also the parliamentarians, but instead of living together they preferred to get separate lodges i.e., Khawaja Asif and her wife Musarat Khawaja are living in room number 301 and 302 in block F respectively while Malik Pervaiz, his wife Shaista Pervaiz Malik and son Ali Pervaiz Malik are living in room number 404, 402 of block C and room 204 of block H respectively.