The Metropolitan Corporation Lahore (MCL) has sealed six wedding venues and arrested three people during a crackdown on halls and marquees operating without adequate parking facilities. The campaign began in the Aziz Bhatti and Shalimar zones, where officials said some venues were allowing guests to park on green belts and service roads, disrupting public spaces and traffic.

An MCL team led by the Deputy Director of Public Facilities carried out an operation along Raj Bahar Road. It sealed Al Khalid, Abdullah, Al Fateh One, Al Fateh Two, Babul Wedding Hall and Shalimar Marquee. Authorities also lodged a complaint at Baghbanpura Police Station over illegal parking on green belts. Three people accused of involvement in the violations were arrested.

Officials said the operation was conducted on the instructions of the MCL Administrator and Chief Officer. Municipal Officer (Regulation) Jawad Ul Hassan Gondal said enforcement would continue, with venues found using green belts or service roads for parking facing strict action, including sealing.

Homeownership remains a goal for most US renters, but affordability is leaving many unsure they will ever be able to buy. In the October 2026 CNBC–SurveyMonkey quarterly money survey, 87% of renters said they want to own a home. Among them, 34% said they want to buy but believe they will never be able to afford it. Another 23% were certain they could buy someday, while 29% said they might be able to.

The survey found that 73% of Americans believe buying a home has become more difficult over the past five years. Respondents cited higher home prices, living costs that limit savings and rising mortgage rates as the main reasons. Among renters, 52% said they could not afford a down payment, 47% pointed to insufficient income or credit scores, and 42% said mortgage rates were too high.

The cost pressure is also reflected in housing budgets. One in four renters said they spend at least half of their pre-tax income on housing, compared with 14% of people paying a mortgage. Rent or mortgage payments were the single biggest financial stress for 64% of renters surveyed.

Rental demand has risen as some prospective buyers remain in the rental market. Zillow’s Observed Renter Demand Index increased 19.2% year over year in September. The typical US rent was $1,932 a month, up 2.7% from a year earlier, while Zillow’s estimated monthly payment for a typical new homebuyer reached $3,037, a 5% annual increase. The buyer estimate assumes a 10% down payment and a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage, including principal, interest, taxes and insurance.

Demand for single-family rentals grew 21.6% over the year, more than twice the 10.1% increase for multifamily rentals, according to Zillow. The figures point to a growing gap between renters’ aspirations and the cost of buying: the survey found that most still hope to own, while down payments, mortgage qualification and borrowing costs remain major barriers.

House prices across Great Britain are forecast to rise by 1.5% in 2027, following estimated growth of 1% in 2026, according to a new outlook from property agency Connells Group. The forecast covers England, Scotland and Wales; the article does not provide a separate forecast for Northern Ireland. London is assessed separately.

Connells expects price growth to reach 2.5% in 2028 as easing inflation could allow borrowing costs to fall and encourage more buyers back into the market. Growth is then forecast to slow to 2% in 2029, when uncertainty ahead of the next general election may weigh on demand, particularly in London and southern England.

The group estimates that housing transactions in 2026 will fall around 100,000 short of the number expected at the start of the year. It forecasts activity to improve to about 1.1 million completed home moves in 2027 and just under 1.2 million in 2028, before easing to around 1.1 million in 2029. Lower mortgage rates are expected to help some households who postponed moving return to the market. However, Connells’ research director, Aneisha Beveridge, cautioned that if mortgage rates remain around 5%, house prices could fall slightly in 2027 instead of rising.

Households refinancing fixed-rate mortgages taken out before rates began increasing may also continue to face higher repayments, although that pressure is expected to begin easing by mid-2027. London house prices are forecast to fall by 1% in 2026 before rising 2% in 2027.

Outer London could benefit from improved mortgage affordability, but higher taxes and weaker investor and international demand may limit the capital’s recovery. Scotland and the Northeast of England are expected to remain among the stronger-performing areas, partly because their comparatively lower prices leave more room for buyers to respond to reduced borrowing costs.

Connells says wage growth has helped household affordability, while inflation has reduced house prices in real terms. Government measures have supported first-time buyers and the lower end of the market, but stamp duty and other tax costs continue to weigh on mainstream and higher-value properties.

Lahore Development Authority (LDA) Director General Tahir Farooq visited the under-construction Neela Gumbad parking plaza and reviewed progress on the development work. The authority says 90% of the project has been completed, while finishing work is underway across all three basement levels.

During the visit, TEPA Chief Engineer Iqrar Hussain and the project director briefed the LDA chief on the project’s progress.
Farooq inspected work on the plaza’s upper-level seating area and reviewed samples of the lights and tiles proposed for installation. He also examined the ongoing finishing work in the three basements.
He directed officials to asphalt the link road between Mall Road and the parking plaza and expedite installation of the parking system. He also called for faster completion of painting, flooring and other construction work connected with the project.

Farooq instructed the project director and contractor to submit daily progress reports. Officials from TEPA and NESPAK, along with the contractor and other relevant officers, were also present.

The Estate Office has issued notices to 7,973 federal employees who are reported to have fallen behind on rent for government residences, with allotment cancellations planned for those who fail to clear their outstanding dues.

According to a private television report citing available documents, Karachi has the largest number of defaulters, at 5,317. Islamabad follows with 2,169 employees, while Lahore has 404, Peshawar 57 and Quetta 26. The figures place Karachi at about 66.7% of the reported national total. The report’s stated share of 74.26% does not match the city figures and overall total it provides.

Sources said the Estate Office has issued notices as part of efforts to recover unpaid rent. Employees who do not pay their dues may lose their government-house allotments under the proposed action.