Deputy Chairman Senate Reviews Parliament Lodges’ Repair

Deputy Chairman Senate Syedaal Khan on Monday reviewed the status of repair and maintenance work at Parliament Lodges, as well as progress on the construction of 104 new family suites

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th Aug, 2025) Deputy Chairman Senate Syedaal Khan on Monday reviewed the status of repair and maintenance work at Parliament Lodges, as well as progress on the construction of 104 new family suites.

The meeting was attended by Senators Poonjo Bheel, Bilal Ahmed Khan, Nasir Mehmood, Danesh Kumar, Hidayatullah Khan, Bushra Anjum Butt, Fawzia Arshad, Khalida Ateeb, and Naseema Ehsan.

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) briefed the committee on compliance with directives issued in earlier meetings.

It was informed that the CDA had suspended the Assistant Director (Parliament Lodges) for inefficiency, detected overbilling of utility charges, installed a biometric attendance system, and completed renovation of 16 suites. Repair of the remaining 13 suites is expected to be completed within three months.

Expressing concern over the slow pace of work, the Deputy Chairman stressed his responsibility to safeguard the rights of Members of Parliament without discrimination.

During the meeting, Senator Bushra Anjum Butt and Senator Khalida Ateeb raised complaints of termite infestation in their lodges and demanded fumigation. Senator Naseema Ehsan criticized the use of substandard material in her allotted lodge, saying poor-quality work had prevented her from shifting her family.

Taking strict notice, the Deputy Chairman directed the CDA to complete all pending repair work within five days. He also recommended that Senators without residences in Islamabad be given priority in allotments over those already accommodated.

Chairman CDA informed the committee that the Federal Government owed contractors liabilities of Rs 780 million, which had impacted the pace and quality of work. Member Finance, CDA, added that Rs 369 million is allocated annually for repair, maintenance, utilities, and salaries of Parliament Lodges staff.

The Deputy Chairman observed that for the past 16 months, the committee had witnessed a lack of seriousness from CDA and the Ministries of Finance, Planning, and Interior, with little tangible progress. He directed CDA to provide written evidence of delays in the referred projects.

On the project of 104 additional suites, CDA officials said four tendering attempts had failed due to stringent regulations. The project has now been divided into phases, attracting competitive bids, with assurance of completion within one year.

With consensus, the Deputy Chairman constituted a sub-committee to examine issues relating to Parliament Lodges and the new suites’ construction. The Secretaries of Finance, Interior, and Planning, along with the Finance Minister and Chairman CDA, were directed to assist the sub-committee and devise a comprehensive strategy to expedite stalled projects.

The CDA was also ordered to submit a detailed three-year expenditure report on Parliament Lodges within two days. The report must include lodge-wise details, brand Names of procured items, and amounts spent on each lodge.

The committee also reviewed the shortage of accommodation, noting that newly elected members from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were facing difficulties in allotment due to insufficient lodges and the uninhabitable condition of basement units.

Additionally, the committee discussed the case of a disputed lodge at Parliament Lodges. The Deputy Chairman expressed concern over delays in legal action against a stay order issued by a civil court in Peshawar and directed immediate action in line with the opinion of the Ministry of Law and Justice.