Ashiana Housing Scheme another scam in offing: Pervez

LAHORE: Central leader of Pakistan Muslim League (PML) and Federal Minister Chaudhry Pervez Elahi has said that Ashiana Housing Scheme will turn out to be another scam like Sasti Roti Scheme, as no poor can afford to buy a house at the cost of Rs 1.1 million. Talking to his party workers and leaders at a state guesthouse on Wednesday, he said that the Punjab government was claiming to build 2,500 houses to accommodate millions of citizens, while it had already spent millions of rupees on publicity of this scheme. “There is no trace, however, of the hefty amounts collected from the applicants,” he pointed out. He also directed party members to prominently display the portrait of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah with further instructions of not spending public money on furnishing and decoration of his office. He further alleged that the provincial government had already saved names of its favourites in computers ahead of a lucky draw that it held to show that the draw was genuine. He said that those affected by raging floods in 2010 were still lying homeless in southern Punjab, but the provincial government neither provided them with proper shelter nor they were given second installment of the aid money. PML leaders Raja Muhammad Basharat, Kamil Ali Agha, Chaudhry Zaheerud Din and Muhammad Arshad Khan Lodhi were also present on the occasion. – Dailytimes