LAHORE DIVISION

Lahore | ReNews Pakistan On the directions of Lahore Development Authority Director General Tahir Farooq, the LDA Town Planning Wing launched a major operation against illegal commercial use and non payment of commercial fees, sealing 105 properties across different parts of the city. LDA teams carried out enforcement actions in Gulberg, Faisal Town, Gulshan Ravi, Canal Road, Poonch Road, Mustafa Town and Azam Garden. According to officials, 31 properties were sealed in Gulberg and Faisal Town for unauthorized commercial use, while 53 properties were sealed along Gulshan Ravi, Canal Road and Poonch Road for illegal commercial activity and failure to pay commercial charges. During a separate recovery operation, another 21 properties were sealed in Mustafa Town and Azam Garden. The sealed properties included private schools, bakeries, beauty salons, hardware and marble stores, building material outlets, cafés, restaurants, food points, pharmacies, grocery and electrical stores, real estate offices, clinics, auto workshops, shops and offices. The operation was conducted under the supervision of Chief Town Planner One Asad uz Zaman. LDA Director General Tahir Farooq said indiscriminate action against unauthorized commercial buildings and commercial fee defaulters would continue.

Lahore | ReNews Pakistan Lahore Development Authority Vice Chairman Mian Marghoob Ahmad and Director General LDA Tahir Farooq visited Data Darbar and the Bhati Chowk Underpass, where they were given a detailed briefing on the completion of the project, ongoing finishing work, service roads and arrangements for upcoming religious gatherings. TEPA Chief Engineer Iqrar Hussain and the project director informed the officials that the main construction work on the Bhati Chowk Underpass had been completed, while finishing work and construction of the surrounding service roads were continuing around the clock. According to the briefing, asphalt will be laid on the service road leading towards Circular Road within the next two days. A drainage system is also being installed along one side of the road connecting the underpass to Katchery to ensure the timely disposal of rainwater. LDA Director General Tahir Farooq directed the relevant officials to accelerate work on the service roads. He said the remaining components of the project should be completed at the earliest to provide citizens with safe and uninterrupted travel facilities. He also ordered the establishment of a designated workers’ rest area, or “Gosha Mazdoor,” where labourers can sit and rest. The LDA chief further directed that all footpaths linked to the project should be developed in line with a modern sustainable development model to ensure safe, accessible and durable pedestrian facilities. Tahir Farooq also instructed officials to complete the finishing work on the pedestrian underpass and install clear and effective traffic signage around the project. He said improved signage would help motorists and pedestrians navigate the area more safely and reduce the risk of traffic accidents. During the visit, LDA Vice Chairman Mian Marghoob Ahmad inspected the designated site for setting up a sabeel during the annual Urs of Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh Hajveri and the Chehlum of Hazrat Imam Hussain. He also reviewed the development works and key routes connected with the Urs and Chehlum gatherings to improve the movement of visitors, traffic flow, pedestrian access and other civic arrangements.

Lahore | ReNews Pakistan The implementation of Punjab's Green Property Certificate (GPC) has encountered significant challenges in several parts of the province, as incomplete land record digitisation continues to slow property sales, transfers and other land transactions. While the certificate became mandatory on July 1, 2026, officials acknowledge that the remaining non-digitised areas are creating procedural delays for buyers, sellers and legal professionals. The Green Property Certificate was introduced by the Punjab government as part of its broader land governance reforms to improve transparency in real estate transactions. The certificate is designed to digitally verify a property's ownership, possession, legal status, boundaries and other essential records before any transfer or sale is completed, reducing the risk of fraudulent transactions and ownership disputes. However, implementation has proven difficult in several revenue estates where land records have not yet been fully computerised. Property owners, lawyers and real estate professionals have reported delays in obtaining the mandatory certificate because digital verification cannot be completed where historical records remain incomplete or unavailable. In response to these concerns, the Punjab Land Records Authority (PLRA) has resumed issuing computerised land record extracts in areas where digitisation has already been completed. However, authorities have yet to announce a comprehensive policy for handling transactions in non-computerised revenue estates, leaving uncertainty for thousands of property owners. According to PLRA Deputy Director Ali Raza Butt, nearly 96% of Punjab's land records have been digitised, while the remaining four percent are still undergoing processing due to historical ownership disputes, administrative complexities and incomplete documentation. He explained that most pending cases involve revenue estates with longstanding legal complications or deficient historical records. Officials say the Green Property Certificate will only be issued after all discrepancies regarding ownership, possession, land boundaries and legal status have been verified and corrected. The objective is to ensure that every property transaction is backed by accurate and legally verified documentation before registration. Real estate professionals argue that incomplete records continue to create obstacles in many districts. They point to inconsistencies involving boundary demarcation, possession records, inheritance claims, joint ownership, outdated survey information and pending court cases as major reasons behind transaction delays. Shahid Ansar Goraya, President of the Patwari Association Punjab, said the province has not conducted a comprehensive land settlement survey for approximately 125 years. He noted that digitisation, which began in 2007, inherited numerous historical inaccuracies, including data-entry errors, multiple properties recorded under single survey numbers, indivisible land records and outdated urban boundary maps. He stressed that Punjab requires a province-wide land resurvey, systematic correction of land records and modern boundary demarcation to ensure the Green Property Certificate system can function efficiently across every district. Despite the implementation challenges, the Punjab government remains committed to expanding the Green Property Certificate system as part of wider reforms aimed at strengthening property verification, improving land administration, reducing litigation and increasing investor confidence in the province's real estate sector. Officials say the digitisation of the remaining land records will continue alongside ongoing reforms to modernise Punjab's land management system.