Punjab approves master plan for journalists' housing Phase II in Lahore
Pakistan
She revealed that 1,400 journalist members of Phase II have already deposited advance development charges
LAHORE (Dunya News) – An important meeting of the Board of Governors of the Journalists Housing Foundation was held in Lahore under the chairpersonship of Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari, during which the master plan for Journalists Colony Phase II was approved.
The meeting was attended by Punjab Information Secretary Tahir Raza Hamdani, Lahore Press Club President Arshad Ansari, MPA Bilal Yamin Satti, Deputy Secretary Adnan Rasheed, and representatives of the PJF including Asad Hussain and Muhammad Yaseen.
During the 44th meeting of the Journalists Housing Foundation, Secretary Information Tahir Raza Hamdani informed participants that the housing colony will include a school, roads ranging from 40 to 100 feet in width, commercial areas, and parks. He said Rs400 million has already been paid to RUDA. He added that the process of land acquisition is nearly complete and that land is being purchased from RUDA under Section Four.
Speaking on the occasion, Information Minister Azma Bokhari said that 3,200 five-marla plots are being allocated to journalists, adding that Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz is set to provide homes to 3,200 journalists in Lahore. She said the chief minister will personally distribute allotment letters to journalists in February.
She stated that the Punjab government is sincerely working to provide journalists with their own homes, but regretted that some “black sheep” hiding under the guise of journalism are opposing the housing scheme for their fellow journalists. She said such elements should be ashamed of using journalists’ children and their future for personal political ambitions.
She issued a clear warning to such elements, saying dirty politics should not be played over journalists’ housing. She alleged that members of a political party’s media wing have been spreading propaganda against Journalists Colony Phase II and said they would face consequences in the coming days.
The minister praised the cooperation of the current Lahore Press Club management and said the Journalists Housing Foundation will soon hand over plots to Phase II members. She revealed that 1,400 journalist members of Phase II have already deposited advance development charges.
She further said that 635 employees of the Punjab Information Department have also deposited advance charges, urging remaining members to do so at the earliest. She added that the balloting process for non-members will be completed in a transparent manner.
The information minister made it clear that the government cannot be blackmailed through mafias or pressure groups. She said matters related to the Rawalpindi and Multan journalists’ housing schemes have been put on hold until the next meeting, and records of journalists have been sought from the Multan Press Club council members.
She also announced that the LDA commercial plan has been adopted for the Lahore journalists’ colony and that all press clubs will be required to hold their elections between December and January.
