A Senate Sub-Committee has voiced serious alarm over the skyrocketing expenses for the upkeep of Parliamentary Lodges, with repair costs for some residences reportedly surpassing PKR 10 million, amid significant procedural delays and the absence of a promised enquiry report.
The Sub-Committee on Parliamentary Lodges, chaired by Senator Nasir Mehmood, met on Monday to address the persistent issues. Attending members, including Senators Danesh Kumar, Poonjo Bheel and Hidayatullah Khan, noted that an investigation report on maintenance works had still not been furnished despite previous instructions.
In response to questions about the steep cost escalations, the Director of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) attributed the increased expenditure primarily to multiple taxes levied on repair activities. The CDA is expected to submit a detailed breakdown of these taxes shortly.
The Special Secretary of the Ministry of Interior added that a major contributing factor to rising project costs is the practice of contractors beginning work early while their payments are held up for years, leading to accumulating liabilities.
Providing an update on the current workload, the CDA informed the panel that out of 57 applications for repair work, 22 tenders have been completed, with physical inspections finalized for 20. An additional five tenders have been opened, and 10 more are slated for opening in early December, while 20 projects remain under the approval process.
The committee recommended that the CDA formulate a comprehensive service agreement model for maintenance, potentially adopting mechanisms similar to those used by the Supreme Court. A financial expert is scheduled to brief the members on the operational and fiscal implications of this proposed model.
Lawmakers directed the CDA to present a complete written plan within a week, detailing the status of all 57 maintenance tasks, including completed projects and clear timelines for all remaining work. They remarked that delays in financial planning and fund releases were severely hindering the effective upkeep of the lodges.
Separately, officials confirmed that funds have been released by the Finance Division for the construction of 104 new lodges. The project is anticipated to be completed by June 30, with further phases to follow.
Following the briefing, the committee members inspected the construction site and a model apartment, instructing officials to strictly maintain quality standards and ensure all work adheres to approved specifications for the timely completion of the project. The sub-committee is scheduled to convene again on December 4, 2025.