171 illegal housing societies in City

LAHORE:In a startling revelation, the Senior Member Board of Revenue (SMBR) has disclosed that Lahore is home to 423 officially approved housing societies, while a staggering 171 residential colonies are operating illegally. The SMBR emphasised the urgency of integrating all private housing societies with the Punjab Land Record Authority (PLRA) to combat rampant fraud. One key issue highlighted was the illegal sale of non-existent plots, leaving unsuspecting buyers vulnerable.

This new crackdown aims to protect public property rights and ensure transparency in Lahore’s rapidly expanding real estate sector. Regarding this, an important meeting was chaired by Punjab Senior Member Board of Revenue (SMBR) Nabeel Javed. Attendees included Member Colonies Abdul Waheed Malik, Member Taxes Zaman Wattoo, Secretary Housing Tayyab Fareed, Special Secretary Local Government Muhammad Arshad Baig, and LDA DG Tahir Farooq, among other senior officials.

During the meeting, the SMBR revealed that Lahore has 423 approved housing societies, while 171 residential colonies are operating illegally. He emphasised that all private housing societies were being integrated with the Punjab Land Record Authority (PLRA) to prevent fraudulent practices, such as the sale of more plots than available. This measure aims to safeguard public property rights.

Nabeel Javed directed the LDA director general to compile complete data about all housing societies across the province. Additionally, he stressed the timely issuance of No Objection Certificates (NOCs) to housing societies facing delays. He further instructed that all private housing societies must adhere to the development timelines, warning that societies failing to comply with government regulations will face legal action to prevent public financial losses.