Housing Minister Dr. Ali Haidhar has said that he stated the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has been given the necessary access to the portal required to investigate the flats allocated under the housing scheme by mistake.

ACC President Adam Shamil said the commission is conducting investigations around the clock to expedite the investigation. He added that the most important thing is to access the portal of the Ministry of Housing to verify the relevant forms.

However, speaking to the Petitions Committee of the Parliament on the flat issue, the ACC President said that the Housing Ministry has not given access to the portal till date. He added that if ACC has access to the portal, the investigation would be completed in no time.

The ACC has not been given access to the portal, the commission chairman said today, but Minister Haidhar had said last November that the Ministry has given access to the ACC.

Therefore, the minister was asked the questions at the Parliament's Petition Committee meeting held today.

Questioning the Minister, Kela MP Ibrahim Sharif said the Minister had told the National Development and Heritage Committee on November 27 that he had given access to the ACC. Therefore, there is a contradiction between the two.

In response, Minister Haidhar said it was a mistake by him to say that the ACC had been given access. The ACC's letter requesting access to the portal includes conditions, including that the portal cannot be accessed by the Ministry, he said.

The minister said the portal needs to be changed and the changes are being made. It will be completed within the next week, he said.

The Minister had earlier said that the ACC would investigate the flat issue within 20 days. However, the ACC said the work has been stopped due to lack of access to the portal. However, he hopes to resolve the case by the end of this month.