02-19-2010, 02:11 PM
The Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis in its report on OPF Housing Scheme Islamabad observed that the OPF Board and the bureaucracy was involved in squandering Overseas Pakistanis (OPs) money viz land was obtained on 3-4 times higher price, obtained violating prescribed procedures resulting legal disputes, Rs. 35 crore expense in the name of development while there was no physical practical development etc. It recommended handing over the matter to NAB but as big guns are always hand in glove in such matters hence how can one dare doing this. The OPF has now issued letters to all allottees asking them to pay their balance dues by 31st January failing which fetch 16% penalty. While the last date for payment is 31st January the letter is dated only 3 days earlier i.e. 28 January 2010. Now hold your breath. As we keep hearing from the PM that today the good governance is prevailing and since democracy is flourishing, this letter has been posted on 4 February 2010 i.e., after 4 days of last date. Unfortunately an overdose of this good governance appears to has been administered and we all know overdose of everything creates acute problems. Only the mentally bankrupt bureaucracy can expect a communication initiated from Islamabad to reach at destinations like Reyadh, Tokyo, Montrial, Boston and fetching response back in Islamabad all in three days. Is this not a deliberate attempt that recipients become defaulters or further may be pulled out from their pockets in shape of 16% penalty? Really the government, as is often claimed, keeps the Overseas Pakistanis dear to its heart and is always worried for their welfare. I am sure the OPF will come out with a standard bureaucratic response that it was a typing mistake where instead of 02.2010, 01.2010 was typed by the typist (surely he was supposed to type 31.02.2010 31st February!!!!).