20:53
Unknown
Islamabad
Hundreds of teachers working in the federal government schools and colleges are facing difficulties, as they have not been paid house requisition or hiring allowance for almost two years.
Talking to this scribe on the condition of anonymity, the teachers working in federal government academic institutions said that they had approached the concerned quarters, particularly the Islamabad Estate Office, several times to get their dues cleared. However, there has been no positive outcome despite assurances.
The teachers said that they have hired houses and flats on rent, but have been unable to clear the rent because of non-payment of house requisition or hiring allowance since January 2011. They said that their landlords have now given them notices for clearance of dues within one month otherwise they had been asked to vacate the houses and apartments. According to them, the landlords have also threatened legal action, if dues were not cleared within two months.
The teachers urged Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf to take up the matter seriously and direct the concerned authorities to clear the payments so that they could heave a sigh of relief.
When this correspondent contacted the representatives of Federal Government Teachers Association (FGTA), including President Azhar Awan and Secretary Rai Shafqat, they said that the teachers of Islamabad schools and colleges, based in Urban, Tarnol, Bhara Kahu and Sihala zones, have been suffering a lot since January 2011 due to non-clearance of house requisition or hiring allowance by the Islamabad Estate Office. In all, there are 8,000 teachers belonging to federal government schools and colleges, who have become victims of this issue.
The association, they said, would soon hold a meeting to discuss the matter with teachers for finalising a strategy for getting their right.
When this correspondent approached Islamabad Estate Office Assistant Director Iqbal Awan, he agreed that the amount against house requisition or hiring of houses for the teachers has not been paid for almost two years. The Estate Office approached the government for getting the funds released in this connection, which stand at Rs1 billion for 2012 and Rs920 million for 2011. The government had directed for payment of the total funds, however, the Ministry of Finance is reluctant to release the amount on the pretext of paucity of funds. At the same time, Iqbal Awan said that for the year 2011 payment of 5,200 teachers is pending while payment to 2,500 teachers for the year 2011 has been made. While efforts were underway to clear the dues of remaining teachers as well as soon as possible.
However, the statement and figures of Director Estate Management (Islamabad Estate Office) Asif Niazi differed totally with that of Iqbal Awan. According to Asif Niazi, he had submitted a demand for supplementary grant with the Ministry of Finance, which is nearly Rs920 million. He said that the total cases of teachers to be paid dues are 4,200 belonging to schools and colleges. However, the ministry has agreed to release only supplementary liabilities amounting to Rs568 million. The demand for supplementary grant was made in September this year. According to Asif Niazi, even if an amount of Rs568 million was paid then we would be able to clear the pending cases of teachers up to the year 2012. Only fresh cases of teachers, numbering 1,400, would be kept in the waiting list and their payments will be made next year, he stated.
Meanwhile, a high official of the Ministry of Finance, dealing with the issue, when asked to comment, on condition of anonymity, said that the matter of releasing funds was delayed only because of inflated amount in the figures of the total amount of dues shown by the Islamabad Estate Office. “According to our calculations, the amount for clearing the dues against house requisition of teachers is only Rs569 million. While the demand for a grant worth Rs1.26 billion was made by the concerned quarters. Why the Ministry of Finance was misguided, he raised a question. Anyhow, the process of payment of funds worth Rs569 million was underway and the amount would be released next month, he added.
Hundreds of teachers working in the federal government schools and colleges are facing difficulties, as they have not been paid house requisition or hiring allowance for almost two years.
Talking to this scribe on the condition of anonymity, the teachers working in federal government academic institutions said that they had approached the concerned quarters, particularly the Islamabad Estate Office, several times to get their dues cleared. However, there has been no positive outcome despite assurances.
The teachers said that they have hired houses and flats on rent, but have been unable to clear the rent because of non-payment of house requisition or hiring allowance since January 2011. They said that their landlords have now given them notices for clearance of dues within one month otherwise they had been asked to vacate the houses and apartments. According to them, the landlords have also threatened legal action, if dues were not cleared within two months.
The teachers urged Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf to take up the matter seriously and direct the concerned authorities to clear the payments so that they could heave a sigh of relief.
When this correspondent contacted the representatives of Federal Government Teachers Association (FGTA), including President Azhar Awan and Secretary Rai Shafqat, they said that the teachers of Islamabad schools and colleges, based in Urban, Tarnol, Bhara Kahu and Sihala zones, have been suffering a lot since January 2011 due to non-clearance of house requisition or hiring allowance by the Islamabad Estate Office. In all, there are 8,000 teachers belonging to federal government schools and colleges, who have become victims of this issue.
The association, they said, would soon hold a meeting to discuss the matter with teachers for finalising a strategy for getting their right.
When this correspondent approached Islamabad Estate Office Assistant Director Iqbal Awan, he agreed that the amount against house requisition or hiring of houses for the teachers has not been paid for almost two years. The Estate Office approached the government for getting the funds released in this connection, which stand at Rs1 billion for 2012 and Rs920 million for 2011. The government had directed for payment of the total funds, however, the Ministry of Finance is reluctant to release the amount on the pretext of paucity of funds. At the same time, Iqbal Awan said that for the year 2011 payment of 5,200 teachers is pending while payment to 2,500 teachers for the year 2011 has been made. While efforts were underway to clear the dues of remaining teachers as well as soon as possible.
However, the statement and figures of Director Estate Management (Islamabad Estate Office) Asif Niazi differed totally with that of Iqbal Awan. According to Asif Niazi, he had submitted a demand for supplementary grant with the Ministry of Finance, which is nearly Rs920 million. He said that the total cases of teachers to be paid dues are 4,200 belonging to schools and colleges. However, the ministry has agreed to release only supplementary liabilities amounting to Rs568 million. The demand for supplementary grant was made in September this year. According to Asif Niazi, even if an amount of Rs568 million was paid then we would be able to clear the pending cases of teachers up to the year 2012. Only fresh cases of teachers, numbering 1,400, would be kept in the waiting list and their payments will be made next year, he stated.
Meanwhile, a high official of the Ministry of Finance, dealing with the issue, when asked to comment, on condition of anonymity, said that the matter of releasing funds was delayed only because of inflated amount in the figures of the total amount of dues shown by the Islamabad Estate Office. “According to our calculations, the amount for clearing the dues against house requisition of teachers is only Rs569 million. While the demand for a grant worth Rs1.26 billion was made by the concerned quarters. Why the Ministry of Finance was misguided, he raised a question. Anyhow, the process of payment of funds worth Rs569 million was underway and the amount would be released next month, he added.
Posted in: Islamabad
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