Lahore Division

Lahore | ReNews Pakistan The Lahore High Court has sought a detailed report from the Walled City of Lahore Authority over the alleged commercial use of historic buildings and unauthorised construction within Lahore’s Walled City, raising fresh concerns about the protection of one of the country’s most important historic urban areas. The court took up a petition challenging commercial activity and construction practices involving heritage properties within the jurisdiction of the Walled City authority. During the proceedings, the petitioner’s counsel alleged that unauthorised construction was continuing in the protected area and claimed that officials responsible for enforcing conservation and building regulations were themselves acting contrary to the applicable rules. The counsel further alleged that permission was being granted for buildings reaching as high as eight storeys and maintained that construction activity had continued despite restraining orders issued by the court. The case has brought into focus the broader question of how residential and heritage properties within the historic city are being converted to commercial use and whether such conversions comply with conservation and planning requirements. According to separate reporting on the proceedings, the court has expressed concern over both the commercial use of heritage buildings and illegal construction in the Walled City. Authorities have been asked to provide a comprehensive assessment of residential and commercial properties and explain the status of buildings converted to commercial use. The court also sought information concerning heritage properties that had been converted to commercial purposes before approval of the area's master plan. Officials were directed to provide details enabling the court to assess the scale of residential to commercial conversion and construction activity within the protected area. The proceedings are significant for Lahore’s property and urban-development sector because the Walled City is subject to a distinct conservation regime intended to balance economic activity with the protection of historic buildings and the traditional urban fabric. Commercial pressure on properties in the old city has long created challenges for heritage conservation. Conversion of older residential buildings into shops, restaurants, warehouses and other commercial establishments can increase property values and economic activity, but uncontrolled alterations and new construction can also affect the architectural character and structural integrity of historic neighbourhoods. The petitioner’s case centres on the allegation that the existing regulatory framework is not being adequately enforced. During the proceedings, the court also questioned progress made by a committee constituted to examine illegal construction activities in the Walled City. It stressed the need for a comprehensive assessment rather than dealing with individual properties in isolation. The authorities have consequently been asked to present information that would allow the court to distinguish between residential and commercial buildings and determine the extent to which heritage properties have undergone changes in use or construction. The Walled City of Lahore contains centuries old residential neighbourhoods, bazaars, religious buildings and monuments representing different periods of the city’s history. Conservation authorities therefore face the difficult task of accommodating contemporary commercial and residential requirements without allowing development that permanently alters its historic character. The latest proceedings could have wider implications for property owners, developers and commercial operators within the Walled City if the review identifies construction or change-of-use activity that does not comply with applicable regulations. For now, the allegations regarding eight storey construction and continued unauthorised development remain claims raised before the court. The detailed report sought from the authorities is expected to provide the court with a clearer picture of the actual scale and legal status of construction and commercial activity within the historic district.

Lahore | ReNews Pakistan The Punjab government has ordered a comprehensive forensic audit of the Punjab Housing and Town Planning Agency (PHATA), launching a detailed investigation into the processing and approval of housing schemes across the province amid concerns over land-use violations, financial irregularities and development in designated green areas. A three member fact finding committee has been constituted to examine housing schemes and societies approved by PHATA at divisional headquarters across Punjab during the 2025-26 financial year. The committee will be headed by Additional Secretary (Admin and Housing) Khurram Shahzad and will include PHATA Estate Management Director Amir Raza along with a senior representative of the Board of Revenue. The decision follows concerns that some housing schemes were approved in areas designated as green or agricultural land, raising questions about the application of planning regulations and the procedures followed in granting approvals. The forensic exercise will cover a wide range of regulatory, administrative and financial matters associated with housing scheme approvals. Among the key areas under scrutiny will be the original land-use and zoning status of properties and the conversion of agricultural or green areas for residential or other development purposes. The committee will also examine the scrutiny and approval of layout plans and determine whether developers obtained all mandatory no objection certificates and fulfilled other regulatory requirements before receiving approvals. Another major component of the investigation will focus on financial matters, including the assessment, collection and recovery of conversion fees and other applicable charges. Any exemptions, concessions or relaxations granted during the approval process will also be reviewed to determine whether they complied with existing laws, regulations, policies and administrative directions. Financial receipts and recoveries will be verified as part of the audit, while the committee has also been tasked with identifying responsibility in cases involving irregular approvals, procedural violations, unauthorised decisions or potential losses to the public exchequer. The Punjab Housing, Urban Development and Public Health Engineering Department has described the exercise as part of a broader effort to strengthen transparency, merit and accountability within the provincial housing and planning system. According to the department, the audit was ordered on the directions of Housing Secretary Noorul Amin Mengal and will involve a detailed examination of PHATA's financial and administrative affairs as well as land-use planning and related regulatory matters. The investigation will not be confined to a single office. The committee will review the operations and records of PHATA directorates established at divisional headquarters throughout Punjab, significantly widening the scope of the exercise. Available administrative and financial records will be examined to determine whether housing scheme approvals were processed transparently and in accordance with applicable rules. Particular attention will be given to alleged unauthorised land-use changes and any decisions that may have resulted in financial losses. The audit is also expected to determine whether existing planning controls were properly enforced before housing societies received approval, particularly in cases involving environmentally sensitive, agricultural or designated green areas. The findings could have broader implications for the regulation of private housing development in Punjab, where rapid urban expansion has increased pressure on agricultural land and placed greater responsibility on planning authorities to ensure that development conforms to approved land-use plans. Once the forensic audit and fact-finding process is completed, the committee will prepare its findings and recommendations for submission to the competent authorities. Responsibility may be determined wherever evidence of irregularity, unauthorised approval, financial loss or violation of prescribed procedures is established. The provincial housing department has said the exercise forms part of the Punjab government's policy of ensuring transparency and combating corruption in public institutions. Officials have maintained that financial and administrative decisions within the housing sector must comply with established laws and regulations, with the audit expected to identify weaknesses in the approval process and recommend measures to strengthen accountability and regulatory oversight across PHATA's operations.

Lahore | ReNews Pakistan The Punjab Horticulture Authority (PHA) has decided to restore the historic Nehru Park in Lahore’s Krishan Nagar, now known as Islampura, as part of a wider initiative to rehabilitate and beautify hundreds of community parks across the provincial capital. The restoration project will combine landscaping, engineering and recreational improvements while seeking to preserve the historical character of the park, which is associated with one of the most significant political developments of the pre Partition era. Nehru Park is historically linked to the Lahore session of the Indian National Congress in 1929, during which the party adopted its landmark Purna Swaraj, or Complete Independence, resolution on December 31. The resolution formally demanded complete self-rule and a break from British colonial rule. Jawaharlal Nehru, who was serving as Congress president at the time, raised the Indian flag at the site to mark the declaration. The resolution rejected the offer of dominion status associated with the 1929 Irwin Declaration and instead called for complete independence. The political campaign that followed culminated in the Declaration of Independence on January 26, 1930, which was subsequently commemorated by the independence movement as Independence Day before the end of British colonial rule. PHA Director General Ahmad Usman Javaid said the authority intends to restore Nehru Park through a combination of horticultural and engineering works, giving the historic location a renewed appearance while improving facilities for families and other visitors. Under the horticultural component, the park will be developed with fresh green lawns, seasonal flowers and decorative plants. Floral landscaping is being introduced both inside and outside the park to improve its overall appearance. The engineering works include the installation of night lighting, benches and swings for children. The PHA has already repaired the park’s boundary wall and installed a cricket pavilion, while decorative fountains will also be added as part of the beautification programme. The planned improvements are aimed at making the park a more attractive, accessible and family-friendly recreational space without diminishing its historical significance. “Nehru Park is not just a public park but a site of historical importance, and it is our responsibility to preserve its character while restoring it as a vibrant green space for the citizens,” Javaid said. The project forms part of the PHA’s broader programme to restore and renovate more than 800 smaller community parks under its jurisdiction across Lahore. The authority also plans to involve students and civil society organisations in the restoration drive, encouraging community participation in the preservation of green spaces and historically significant public sites. The rehabilitation of Nehru Park is expected to serve the dual purpose of protecting an important historical location and providing improved recreational facilities to residents of Islampura and surrounding areas.