Punjab govt refuses to extend lease for NWC

LAHORE - Rejecting the request to extend the lease for Naval War College (NWC), the Punjab Government has asked the Naval Headquarters to vacate the property. In a letter written by the Chief Secretary, two reasons have been mentioned, which prompted the move - the scarcity of accommodation for the LHC judges, the Provincial Ministers and other high-ups; and the security threat to the GOR-1, as GOR houses many VVIPs. The dispute, lingering on for the last one year, has intensified, as the Punjab govt had advised to vacate the premises after the suicide attack outside the college premises, asking the Naval authorities to shift the institute to some other location. The security alerts, being repeatedly issued, are also warning about the possibility of another attack on the building. The premises, measuring eight kanals, is located at The Mall and the Broom Road crossing in GOR-1. The provincial govt had rented the property in 1999 while the Navy had extensively modified the construction according to its specific needs from time to time. The college administration did not reply to the earlier request by the Punjab govt after the suicide attack. However, the provincial govt later objected to the new construction, which it says, is not allowed in the locality. After some time, it also raised the issue of insufficient rent and said it was much less than the market rate. After the end of lease agreement last month (April), the Naval authorities forwarded the case for extension to the Punjab govt. But the Services and General Administration Department (S&GAD), after a thorough study on the directives of the Chief Secretary, in a report to CM Shahbaz Sharif opposed any extension, a suggestion which the chief minister accepted. Hence, the chief secretary wrote a letter to Vice-Admiral Shahid Iqbal, Chief of Staff Naval Headquarters, to inform him about the decision, stating that the security situation in the country is worsening and the sensitive nature of the NWC is creating additional threat to the area, where top politicians and bureaucracy of the province are living. The provincial govt is also facing difficulty in providing accommodation the judges, officers and ministers due to acute shortage, it adds.After some time, it also raised the issue of insufficient rent and said it was much less than the market rate. After the end of lease agreement last month (April), the Naval authorities forwarded the case for extension to the Punjab govt. But the Services and General Administration Department (S&GAD), after a thorough study on the directives of the chief secretary, in a report to Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif opposed any extension, a suggestion which the chief minister accepted. Hence, the chief secretary wrote a letter to Vice-Admiral Shahid Iqbal, Chief of Staff Naval Headquarters, to inform him about the decision, stating that the security situation in the country is worsening and the sensitive nature of the NWC is creating additional threat to the area, where top politicians and bureaucracy of the province are living. The provincial govt is also facing difficulty in providing accommodation the judges, officers and ministers due to acute shortage, it adds.