Construction of Islamabad’s long-delayed model jail in H-16 continues to face major setbacks as officials informed the Senate Standing Committee on Housing and Works that consistent funding is critical to complete the project. The committee, chaired by Senator Nasir Mehmood, reviewed the project’s progress and reiterated the need for uninterrupted financing to prevent further delays.
Originally approved in 2016 at a cost of Rs3.9 billion with a completion deadline of 2019, the project saw slow progress from the outset. A revised PC-I later increased the cost to Rs7.4 billion. Officials reported that Rs4 billion has already been released and that nearly 90 percent of work on the barracks and hospital is complete. However, the remaining funds are insufficient to finalise construction. The committee directed the Planning Division to release the pending Rs2.6 billion in January to ensure timely completion.
The project was initially executed by the now-defunct Public Works Department (PWD) but is currently being implemented by the Capital Development Authority (CDA). The Senate panel also discussed multiple infrastructure issues affecting federal buildings, including malfunctioning elevators at the Shaheed-i-Millat Secretariat. A tender for installing and maintaining new lifts has been awarded to two firms, and essential components will be imported through an LC. While Rs8 million has been released so far, CDA estimates the total requirement at Rs90 million, prompting the committee to seek updated cost details for revised funding.
Lawmakers expressed concern over administrative instability within the Housing Ministry, noting that frequent transfers of secretary-level officers are undermining institutional efficiency. The committee also highlighted the non-payment of salaries to 15 lower-grade staff of the Central Civil Division-I, PWD Lahore, along with pending payments to 162 former PWD employees.
The panel additionally reviewed a land dispute involving 37 kanals of Constantia Lodge Murree. Officials reported that seven kanals of encroached land have been reclaimed, with multiple FIRs registered. Local residents, however, continue to contest ownership, claiming ancestral rights to the property.
