PUNJAB JOURNALISTS HOUSING FOUNDATION ACT 2004

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THE PUNJAB JOURNALISTS HOUSING FOUNDATION ACT 
2004 
(XI of 2004) 
CONTENTS 
1. Short title, and commencement 
2. Definitions 
3. Establishment of Foundation 
4. Board of Directors 
5. Powers and functions of the Board 
6. Managing Committee 
7. Eligibility of allotment of plots 
8. Fixation of quota 
9. Committees 
10. Managing Director 
11. Annual progress report 
12. Establishment of fund 
13. Location, price and allocation of plots 
14. Budget and audit 
15. Public servants 
16. Power to make rules 
17. Power to make regulations 
TEXT 
1
THE PUNJAB JOURNALISTS HOUSING FOUNDATION ACT 2004 
(XI of 2004) 
[10th March, 2004] 
An 
Act 
to provide for the establishment of the Punjab Journalists Housing Foundation. 
Preamble.– Whereas it is expedient to establish the P unjab Journalists Housing 
Foundation in order to introduce schemes for allotment of plots for construction of 
houses, on no profit no loss basis, and to make provisions for matters connected 
therewith or ancillary thereto; 
 It is hereby enacted as follows:– 
1. Short title, ex tent and commencemen t.– (1) This Act may be called the 
Punjab Journalists Housing Foundation Act 2004. 
 (2) It extends to the Province of the Punjab. 
 (3) It shall come into force at once but shall take effect on such date as 
may be notified by the Government in the official Gazette. 
2. Definitions.– In this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or 
context, the following expressions shall have the meanings hereby respectively 
assigned to them, that is to say– 
(a) “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Foundation; 
(b) “Broadcast Media” means broadcast by radio, television or such other 
broadcast media as the Board may determine from time to time; 
(c) “council member” means a member declared as such by the press 
club; 
(d) “district” means a district as defined in the Punjab Local Government 
Ordinance, 2001 (XIII of 2001); 
(e) “Foundation” means the Punjab Journalists Housing Foundation 
established under this Act; 
(f) “fund” means the fund established under this Act; 
(g) “Government” means the Government of the Punjab; 
(h) “housing scheme” means a scheme notified by the Government for 
district under this Act; 
(i) “journalist” means a person who is a council member of the press club; 
(j) “prescribed” means prescribed by rules made under this Act; and 
                                                           
1This Act was passed by the Punjab Assembly on 23 February 2004; assented to by the Governor of the Punjab on 9 March 
2004; and, was published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated 10 March 2004, pages 721-724. 
(k) “press club” means the press club of Lahore, Rawalpindi or Multan and 
includes any other club of journalists declared as a press club by the 
Government to carry out the purposes of this Act; provided that not 
more than one club shall be declared as such in a district. 
3. Establishment of Founda tion.– (1) As soon as may be, after the 
commencement of this Act, the Government shall establish a foundation to be known 
as the Punjab Journalists Housing Foundation. 
 (2) The Foundation shall be a body corporate having perpetual succession 
and a common seal with power, subject to the provisions of this Act, to acquire land 
in accordance with law, hold and transfer properties both movable and immovable, 
and may sue and be sued by the said name. 
4. Board of Direc tors.– (1) The Foundation shall have a Board of Directors 
comprising the following:- 
(a) Chief Minister, Punjab; Chairman 
(b) Minister for Information, Punjab; Vice Chairman/Director 
(c) Secretary to Government of the Punjab,  Secretary/Director 
Information Department; and 
(d) Three members of the Provincial Assembly of the Directors. 
Punjab, two from treasury benches 
and one from  the opposition, to be 
nominated by the Chief Minister; 
provided that  
2
[at least one of them 
shall be a female  member of the 
Assembly and]  the member from the  
opposition shall be proposed by the 
Leader of the Opposition. 
 (2) The nominated Directors shall hold office for a term of three years and 
shall be eligible for reappointment. 
 (3) The nominated Dire ctors shall not be entitled to any perks and 
privileges under this Act. 
 (4) The Government may remove a nominated Director of the Board, 
without assigning any reason, before the expiry of his tenure. 
 (5) Any nominated Director of the Board may, by notice in writing under his 
hand addressed to the Chairman of the Board, resign from his office. 
 (6) No act or proceedings of the Board shall be invalid merely on the 
ground of the existence of any vacancy or defect in the constitution of the Board. 
 (7) Three Directors shall constitute quorum in a meeting of the Board. 
 (8) Decisions in the meeting shall be taken by the Board by simple majority 
and the Chairman shall have the casting vote in case of equality of votes. 
                                                           
2Inserted by the Punjab Fair Representation of Women Act 2014 (IV of 2014); and published in the Punjab Gazette 
(Extraordinary), dated 12.3.2014, pages 2733-2744, s.2 and Schedule, at serial NO.44. 
5. Powers and func tions of the Board.– (1) Subject to the provisions of this 
Act, the Board shall exercise such powers and perform such functions as may be 
necessary for carrying out the purposes of this Act, including– 
(a) to take steps for the establishment of the fund; 
(b) to arrange, purchase or acquire land wherever necessary; 
(c) to develop the land for the purpose of setting up housing schemes; 
(d) to prepare policy for allotment of plots; 
(e) to receive such fees and other user charges as may be prescribed; 
(f) to sell or dispose of assets, movable or immovable; 
(g) to authorize spending from the fund; 
(h) to delegate any of these powers and functions to the Managing 
Committee; and 
(i) to do such acts as are ancillary and incidental to carry out the purposes 
of this Act. 
6. Managing Commi ttee.– (1) There shall be a Managing Committee of the 
Foundation with the following composition:– 
(i) Secretary to Government of Punjab, Convener 
Information Department; 
(ii) Secretary to Government of Punjab, Member 
Finance Department or his nominee; 
(iii) Secretary to Government of Punjab, Member 
Housing Urban Development and Public  
Health Engineering Department or his nominee; 
(iv) Member (Colonies), Board of Revenue, Punjab; Member 
(v) District Coordination Officer concerned Member 
where the housing scheme is notified; 
(vi) Managing Director of the Foundation; Member/Secretary 
(vii) Director General Public Relations, Punjab; Member 
(viii) Director General of the Lahore Development Member 
Authority in case of Lahore District, or the  
Director General of the authority established  
under the Punjab Development of Cities Act,  
1976, in respect of the district for which a  
housing scheme is notified; and 
(ix) President of Press Club of the District Member. 
where the housing scheme is notified 
 (2) The Managing Co mmittee shall perform the functions as may be 
prescribed. 
7. Eligibility of allo tment of plo ts.– (1) The following shall be eligible for 
allotment of plots in a housing scheme:- 
(a) council members; 
(b) employees of the Punjab Information Department as may be prescribed; 
and 
(c) employees of the broadcast media subject to the policy determined by 
the Board: 
 Provided that an eligible person shall not be allotted more than one plot in all 
the housing schemes of the Foundation. 
 (2) An allotted plot shall not  be alienated for a period as may be 
prescribed. 
8. Fixation of quota.– The number of plots to be allotted to persons other than 
council members shall not exceed one-fifth of the plots available for allotment. 
9. Committees.– The Board may constitute such committees as may be 
necessary for carrying out the purposes of this Act. 
10. Managing Direc tor.– (1) There shall be a Managing Director of the 
Foundation who shall also be the Chief Executive of the Foundation. 
 (2) The Managing Director shall be appointe d by the Board for a specified 
period and shall hold office during the pleasure of the Board. 
 (3) The Managing Director shall exercise such powers and perform such 
functions as may be prescribed. 
 (4) The Managing Director shall cease to hold office in th e manner as may 
be prescribed. 
11. Annual progress repor t.– (1) The Managing Committee shall prepare an 
annual progress report at the end of each financial year. 
 (2) This report shall be submitted in a meeting of the Board, whenever 
such meeting takes place after the preparation of the report. 
12. Establishment of fund.– (1) As soon as may be, after the commencement of 
this Act, the Foundation shall arrange establishment of a fund. 
 (2) The fund shall consist of– 
(a) such grants as may be provided by the Government; 
(b) other contributions and donations by private or public organizations; 
(c) such loans and advances as may be obtained from financial 
institutions; 
(d) contributions towards purchase of plots and development charges; 
(e) income and profits from investments from various sources; 
(f) fees or other user charges; 
(g) amounts received from sale or disposal of assets of the Foundation; 
(h) grants as may from time to time be made by the Government of 
Pakistan; and 
(i) all other sums and income from an y other source received by the 
Foundation. 
 (3) The moneys credited to the fund shall be kept in such custody as may be 
prescribed. 
13. Location, price and alloca tion of plots.– (1) The housing schemes shall be 
carried out at such districts as may be determined by the Board. 
 (2) The Board shall determine the price of the plot and the mode of its 
payment. 
 (3) The title and the possession of the plot shall not be transferred unless 
the full price of the same is paid by the allottee. 
14. Budget and audit.– The budget of the Foundation shall be approved and its 
accounts audited in such manner as may be prescribed. 
15. Public servants.– All persons acting or purporting to act in pursuance of any 
provision of this Act shall be deemed to be public servants as defined in section 21 of 
the Pakistan Penal Code, 1860 (XLV of 1860). 
16. Power to make rules .– Government may make rules for carrying out the 
purposes of this Act. 
17. Power to make regula tions.– Subject to the provisions of this Act and the 
rules made there under, the Board may make regulations to give effect to the 
provisions of this Act.