Islamabad: — Sub-Committee of the Senate House Committee, met at Parliament Lodges under the convenership of Senator Nasir Mehmood. The meeting was attended by Senator Danesh Kumar, Senator Hidayatullah Khan, and senior officers from the Ministry of Interior, Capital Development Authority (CDA), and the Senate Secretariat.
At the outset, the Committee expressed concern over the absence of uniform and consolidated data in the submissions received and directed all departments to ensure standardized reporting in future.
The Committee was briefed on the proposed Service Agreement Model, aimed at expediting repair and maintenance works through predefined standards for civil, electrical, and furnishing tasks. It was informed that awarding block-wise contracts and establishing a dedicated Project Management Unit (PMU) would enhance efficiency, monitoring, and timely execution of tasks.
During deliberations, Senator Hidayatullah Khan sought details regarding the auction of condemned items and deductions applied to servant quarters, including house rent and utility charges. CDA officials informed the Committee that records of unserviceable items have been maintained since 2018 and all disposals are conducted strictly under approved procedures. It was further noted that proper inventory management and handing-over/taking-over protocols are in place, with penalties imposed in cases where items are found missing at the time of vacation of lodges.
The Committee endorsed the proposal to introduce a comprehensive disposal policy with fixed lifespans for items before being declared unserviceable. The CDA also committed to submitting a computerized inventory of all existing items and a ten-year auction record, and to ensure that complete inventories are provided to Members at the time of possession and vacation of suites. All required records are to be submitted within one month.
The Committee also sought details of deductions from servant quarters, the complete canteen contract along with its rate list, and information on the number of shops within the lodges, their allotments, allottees, and monthly rents. Emphasizing repeated complaints, the Committee directed strict enforcement of food hygiene standards in the canteen.
Following the meeting, the Committee visited the newly constructed 104 New Parliament Lodges, inspected sample units, and issued directions for minor corrections and improvements.
The meeting concluded with the Committee reaffirming its commitment to transparency, improved facilities, and strengthened management of the Parliament Lodges.
Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
