MCL recovers only Rs6.9m rent out of Rs232m from 1660 shops

LAHORE: Information made public under the Punjab Access to Information Act 2013 has revealed that only Rs6.9 million out of Rs232 million of the rent of 1660 shops owned by the Municipal Corporation Lahore was recovered during the last year in the provincial capital. According to the documents obtained by “Jang”, in the information made public in the Ahsan Chaudhary vs. Chief Officer Municipal Corporation Lahore case, no rent agreement was made with a state-owned bank, set up in a shop worth millions of rupees. According to the documents, the property owned by the municipal corporation in nine towns of Lahore is 2,678 kanals and 16 marles. These properties are worth billions of rupees and they are all controlled by the corporation.

According to the documents, the municipal corporation has said in the information to be made public that only Rs6.9 million have been recovered out of Rs232 million as rent of 1660 shops and on the other hand, it said in the same record that no shop is a defaulter in terms of rent.

The records provided also states that following the austerity orders issued by the government, the corporation has allocated 34,520 liters of petrol and diesel monthly for vehicles, tractors, dumpers, trucks, cars, road rollers, motorcycles and generators since December 1, 2023, while Rs1,450,000 monthly have been allocated for their oil and service.