In order to facilitate DIG Operations Lahore Muhammad Faisal, Punjab government has changed its own policy to allot him a government house in GOR-1, reported 24NewsHD TV Channel.
The Punjab government granted special approval by changing Punjab Residence Allotment Policy 2024 to allow DIG Muhammad Faisal (PSP) to be allotted a house in the posh GOR-1, Lahore.
According to official documents, Muhammad Faisal is currently residing in House No 9, Golf Road, GOR-I without any official allotment. A formal application was submitted to the Punjab Government and the Services and General Administration Department (S&GAD) for permanent allotment. In response, the S&GAD took a clear stance, stating that Muhammad Faisal is not eligible for allotment in GOR-I as per policy.
The department further stated that clause 3.1(c) of the Punjab Residence Policy 2024 allows only those officers who are on the cadre strength of S&GAD to be allotted houses in GOR. As Muhammad Faisal belongs to the Police Department, he is not only ineligible under this policy, but also not entitled to the 10pc hardship quota allocated by the Chief Minister.
Despite this, when the Services and General Department opposed the legal allotment of the house, they noted that it would be against government policy and would require formal relaxation in law.
Additional Chief Secretary of Punjab, Ahmed Raza Sarwar, also confirmed that Muhammad Faisal was not eligible under the current rules. Chief Secretary Punjab Zahid Zaman has mentioned in the same documents that Muhammad Faisal was not eligible under the policy.
The Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister has directed that Muhammad Faisal be allotted a house at Bara Golf Lane, and the house currently occupied by Grade 20 PAS officer Zaheer Hussain be vacated for this purpose.He further instructed that Muhammad Faisal be officially allotted the house he is already occupying without allotment.
The Services Department directed to resubmit the summary for allotment. Additional Secretary Welfare Captain R. Samiullah Farooq noted that the instruction came via a telephone call from the Chief Minister's office.
As per those instructions, the summary was resent, and approval was given to allot House No. 12, Golf Lane, GOR-1 to DIG Operations Lahore Muhammad Faisal.
However, a new issue arose: House No. 12 was already allotted to Zaheer Hassan, a Grade 22 officer from the Pakistan Administrative Group, who was then asked to vacate the house.
In another twist, the same document recommended that 'House No. 5, Patiala House' be declared as the official residence of DIG Operations Lahore, even though that house was already approved for DIG use. However, former DIG Operations Lahore Dr. Haider Ashraf is currently residing this house.