Lahore Division

Lahore | ReNews Pakistan
The Punjab government has doubled its target for providing interest free loans under the Apni Chhat Apna Ghar Programme following a record number of applications, aiming to provide financial assistance to more deserving families for the construction of their own homes.
A meeting chaired by Punjab Housing Minister Bilal Yasin reviewed the progress of the programme, loan disbursements and pending payments. Director General PHATA Sikandar Zeshan, Urban Unit Chief Executive Officer Umar Masood, representatives of the Bank of Punjab and officials from other relevant institutions attended the meeting.
The meeting was informed that more than Rs 243 billion in interest free loans have so far been disbursed under the Apni Chhat Apna Ghar Programme, while the number of approved loans has crossed 200,000.
According to the briefing, 114,237 houses have been completed under the programme, while construction work is currently underway on another 45,254 houses.
Punjab Housing Minister Bilal Yasin directed the relevant authorities to immediately release pending payments and said complaints regarding unnecessary delays in loan disbursements would be addressed promptly.
He said the primary objective of the Apni Chhat Apna Ghar Programme is to provide deserving families with dignified, secure and permanent housing. The provincial government, he added, is taking measures to ensure that more families can benefit from the initiative and build their own homes.
Bilal Yasin also directed the concerned institutions to accelerate the process of resolving citizens’ complaints. He instructed the Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) to ensure effective coordination among all stakeholders involved in the programme.
The provincial minister said the loan disbursement targets for the current financial year had been doubled in view of the record number of applications, enabling more deserving families to fulfil their dream of owning a home.

Lahore | ReNews Pakistan
The Lahore High Court (LHC) has restrained the Anti Corruption Department from taking disciplinary action against members of a private cooperative housing society, while examining the department’s jurisdiction to initiate inquiries into disputes involving private cooperative societies.
Justice Muhammad Jawad Zafar heard a petition filed by Sheikh Sadaqat, general secretary of a private cooperative society, challenging the Anti Corruption Department’s intervention and inquiry against the society.
During Friday’s proceedings, the court issued an interim stay against the inquiry and directed that no disciplinary action be taken against the petitioner until the next hearing. The case has been fixed for further proceedings on September 21.
Advocate Mian Dawood appeared before the court on behalf of the petitioner, while the Anti Corruption Department submitted its written response.
During the hearing, the prosecution maintained that under the Cooperative Societies Act, members of cooperative societies fall within the definition of public servants and can therefore come under the department’s anti-corruption jurisdiction.
The petitioner’s counsel strongly contested this position, arguing that the Lahore High Court had already settled the issue in its earlier judgment in the Khalid Wasim case. According to the counsel, the court had previously held that members of cooperative societies could not be treated as public servants because they neither hold government positions nor receive salaries from the government treasury.
The counsel further argued that in light of the earlier ruling, the Anti Corruption Department lacked legal authority to interfere in disputes concerning cooperative housing societies. He maintained that such matters should be dealt with by the Cooperative Department, which is the relevant regulatory and administrative forum for cooperative societies.
The petitioner also alleged that the Anti Corruption Department had increasingly been used to initiate inquiries against citizens on the basis of unsubstantiated complaints. He claimed that such proceedings had resulted in unnecessary harassment and misuse of official authority.
Describing the ongoing inquiry against the housing society as an example of alleged jurisdictional overreach, the petitioner’s counsel requested the court to declare the Anti Corruption Department’s proceedings unlawful and quash the inquiry.
The latest interim order provides temporary relief to the petitioner and prevents disciplinary action against him until the next hearing. However, the court has yet to issue a final ruling on whether the Anti Corruption Department has jurisdiction over members and affairs of private cooperative housing societies.
The case could have broader implications for the regulation of cooperative housing societies in Punjab, particularly regarding the respective roles and jurisdictions of the Anti Corruption Department and the Cooperative Department in dealing with complaints, administrative disputes and alleged irregularities within private housing societies.

Lahore | Riaz Hussain ReNews Pakistan
Concerns have emerged among stakeholders in the real estate sector over certain negative social media campaigns concerning DHA Lahore. Ch Touqeer Asif, Director Information of the DHA Estate Agents Association, said that unverified, misleading or one-sided information about the property market could undermine investor confidence and negatively affect real estate professionals and overall business activity.
According to him, DHA Lahore is one of Pakistan’s major and prominent real estate markets, with nearly 200,000 members. In addition to investors from across Pakistan, overseas Pakistanis from various countries also invest in DHA Lahore and consider it an important market for property investment.
Ch Touqeer Asif said that over the past few days, negative campaigns and commentary concerning different phases of DHA Lahore have appeared on certain social media accounts. He noted that, in some cases, the apparent objective of such activities may be to generate views, reach and social media engagement. However, he cautioned that the potential impact of irresponsible information should not be overlooked, particularly in a sensitive sector such as real estate.
He said that any news, claim or allegation appearing on social media should not automatically be treated as fact and should instead be verified through relevant and credible sources. He particularly stressed that making property investment or buying and selling decisions on the basis of rumours or unverified information could expose buyers and investors to financial losses.
The DHA Estate Agents Association also highlighted the importance of maintaining a professional code of conduct among real estate agents. According to the association, realtors operating in DHA Lahore have a responsibility to provide clients with accurate and verifiable information, avoid creating unnecessary fear or uncertainty in the market, and adhere to professional and ethical standards in property transactions.
Ch Touqeer Asif further said that the business activity of the large real estate community associated with DHA Lahore depends significantly on market confidence and a stable business environment. He urged all stakeholders to act responsibly when disseminating information and to verify facts thoroughly before forming opinions or making decisions about any property-related matter.