FECHS secretary faces show cause notice after society fails to answer information commission

An audit report has raised a serious question over the alleged conversion and sale of around 200 kanals of land reserved for public facilities

Islamabad:  An audit report has raised a serious question over the alleged conversion and sale of around 200 kanals of land reserved for public facilities in Jinnah Garden Phase I, with the land valued at approximately Rs2 billion. At the same time, the Federal Employees Cooperative Housing Society (FECHS), also known as Jinnah Garden Housing Scheme, has come under pressure from the Pakistan Information Commission and the Islamabad High Court over access to records and the long wait faced by affected allottees.

The developments include an order directing FECHS to provide requested information within 10 days, a show cause notice to its secretary after the society failed to respond to the Commission, and a High Court direction allowing verified affectees to receive allotment, transfer and possession letters within a process that must be completed in one month.

The Rs2 billion land issue was mentioned in the Pakistan Information Commission’s order dated October 6, 2026, in Appeal No. 5857-07/26, Awillia Rayn versus FECHS. The Commission referred to an audit report concerning the accounts of certain public bodies, including the Punjab Government Employees Housing Authority, for 2024 to 2025. Paragraph 3.4.2 of the report contained an observation about the alleged illegal conversion and sale of approximately 200 kanals reserved for public amenities in Jinnah Garden Phase I.

Land reserved for public facilities is meant to serve residents through amenities and shared services. The alleged conversion and sale therefore raise important questions about who approved the transactions, how the land was transferred and whether the public interest was protected. The audit observation is not a final court finding of corruption, but it places the matter under serious public scrutiny.

In its October 6 order, the Commission rejected FECHS’s objection that it was not a public body covered by the Right of Access to Information Act, 2017. It held that the society, being registered under the Cooperative Societies Act, 1925, falls within the relevant definition of a public body under the information law.

The Commission also rejected the argument that a person must be a member of the society to obtain public records. It explained that records concerning property transactions, allotments, public expenditure, contracts and other matters covered by the law cannot be withheld simply because the applicant is not a society member.

The appeal was partially allowed. The Commission directed the FECHS secretary to provide the information requested under items 1 to 10 within 10 days, subject to lawful exemptions. Personal information of society members, including names and CNIC details protected by the law, was to be excluded.

A second order, dated October 22, 2026, in Appeal No. 6066-09/2026, Aimen Malik versus FECHS, brought further pressure on the society’s management. The Commission recorded that two notices had been sent to the secretary, on September 18 and October 7, but no written reply was received and no representative appeared at the hearing.

The Commission issued a show cause notice under Section 20(1)(f) of the Right of Access to Information Act, 2017, asking the secretary to explain why proceedings should not be taken and a fine imposed for failing to appear. The secretary was also directed to submit the required information or response before the next hearing, fixed for November 11, 2026.

Meanwhile, the Islamabad High Court issued an important order on October 1, 2026, in Criminal Original No. 73 of 2023, Muhammad Yamin versus Kamran Ali Cheema and others. The court allowed additional applicants to become parties to the proceedings, recognising that people affected by the non implementation of an earlier judgment could approach the court.

The society’s counsel told the court that management was willing to address the grievances of petitioners and process their claims according to the established seniority list and applicable rules. The court modified earlier restrictions and allowed FECHS to issue transfer, allotment and possession letters strictly to verified petitioners and affectees, subject to legal formalities and the final outcome of the case.

The court directed the society to inform affectees immediately if legitimate dues remained outstanding. The affected allottees must pay those dues within seven days of receiving a demand, after which possession must be delivered immediately. The entire process must be completed within a maximum of one month. FECHS was also directed to submit a comprehensive compliance report on November 11, 2026.

Mr. Munir Ahmad, Advocate High Court, has been representing affected allottees and leading legal efforts to obtain information, official records and relief through the relevant forums and courts.

Mr. Munir Ahmad has stressed that accurate official information is essential for affected people to understand their cases and protect their legal rights. Certified copies of the relevant Commission and High Court orders have also been obtained for legal reference and further proceedings.

The three orders have brought renewed attention to the society’s handling of public records, the disputed land observation and the delay faced by allottees awaiting possession. The documents do not establish that any individual has been convicted of corruption or that the alleged land conversion has been finally proved illegal. However, the audit observation requires a clear explanation, while the society is now under court and Commission directions.

The next hearings on November 11 will be important. Affectees are advised to preserve original allotment letters, payment receipts and other records, check their individual status and seek legal advice. The key demands remain transparency over the 200 kanals of land, timely disclosure of records and possession for every verified allottee entitled to receive it.