Govt to vacate APO properties in Islamabad under 'illegal occupation'.

ISLAMABAD -- The federal government has decided to vacate all 10 properties of the Abandoned Properties Organization (APO) in Islamabad which are presently under 'illegal occupation.' All necessary administrative measures may be taken to vacate the houses which are presently under illegal occupation, said a summary by the Cabinet Division to the federal capital for approval. Abandoned Properties Organisation (APO) is an autonomous body established on 12 February 1975 under the Abandoned Properties (Management) Act, 1975. The mandate of the APO is to manage and administer the properties (movable and immovable) abandoned by the former citizens of Pakistan who migrated to Bangladesh on and after 16 December 1971. According to the documents exclusively available with The Nation, a set of proposals is all set to be placed before the federal cabinet for approval that also includes the one suggesting that one of the 10 houses may be reserved for Deputy Commissioner Islamabad, who has no designated official accommodation in the city. Under the rule of business, 1973, APO falls under the administrative control of the Cabinet Division and is supervised by a Board of Trustees constituted under section 4 of the Act. The BOT is responsible for control and management of the abandoned properties and is notified by the federal government. Section 4 (2) of the Abandoned Properties (Management) Act, 1975 provides: 'In discharging its functions, the Board shall be guided on question of policy by the instructions, if any, given to it by the federal government, which shall be the sole judge as to whether a question is a question of policy.' In terms of section 28 and 29, read with section 4 (2) of the Abandoned Properties (Management) Act 1975, the federal government has the requisite powers to administer the properties...