LAHORE DIVISION

Lahore | ReNews Pakistan The Lahore High Court (LHC) has ruled that the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) cannot take over land reserved for public amenities in private housing societies or use it for purposes other than those for which it was originally designated, reaffirming that such land is held in trust for the public and must remain dedicated to community welfare. In a detailed written judgement, Justice Raheel Kamran Sheikh held that amenity plots reserved for public facilities such as schools, parks, mosques and other community services constitute a public trust. The court observed that these lands are intended to serve residents of the housing society and cannot be diverted to any alternative purpose by the planning authority. The judgement was issued while deciding a constitutional petition filed by Cooperative Housing Society Agrerics, which challenged the LDA's decision to transfer ownership of a school-designated amenity plot to the authority after refusing to approve the society's building plan. The court ruled that although the Lahore Development Authority exercises regulatory oversight over private housing schemes under the law, its powers do not extend to changing the approved purpose of land specifically reserved for public amenities. Justice Sheikh emphasized that the authority must ensure the original public objective of such land is fulfilled rather than replacing it with an alternative use. The LHC directed the LDA to allot, lease or auction the disputed plot within three months in accordance with the relevant legal framework so that a school can be established on the site. The court noted that the absence of the planned educational facility for more than thirty years had deprived residents of a vital public service that formed part of the original housing scheme. The judgement also upheld the constitutional validity of Section 13(6) of the Lahore Development Authority Act and the Private Housing Schemes Rules, 2014, concluding that both provisions are consistent with the Constitution and continue to govern planning and development within private housing societies. However, the court clarified that compliance with the LDA's planning and development laws does not authorize the authority to appropriate or repurpose amenity land for uses other than those originally approved. Instead, such land must remain dedicated to the public purpose for which it was reserved. Justice Sheikh further held that any future attempt by the Lahore Development Authority to divert amenity plots from their approved public use would remain open to judicial scrutiny and could be challenged before the courts, reinforcing legal protection for community facilities in private housing schemes.

Lahore: [ReNews Pakistan] The Lahore Development Authority has allotted plot numbers to successful applicants under its easy installment programme following the completion of the fifth computerized balloting process. According to the LDA, the initiative is part of an ongoing programme launched on the instructions of Director General Tahir Farooq to provide residential and commercial plots to citizens through affordable payment plans. Successful applicants from the balloting held on May 18 were allotted plot numbers in Johar Town, LDA City, Allama Iqbal Town and LDA Enclave. The plots included four marla commercial plots in the Business Bay Block of LDA City, commercial plots ranging from two to 5.2 marlas in Blocks M, N and F One of Johar Town, 3.11 marla commercial plots in the Fruit and Vegetable Market of Allama Iqbal Town, 3.5 marla residential plots in Johar Town Block R One and three marla residential plots in Block D of LDA Enclave. The computerized balloting was conducted by the Punjab Information Technology Board through a pseudocode based system. The LDA said the process was designed to ensure transparency, fairness and equal opportunity for all applicants. Director General LDA Tahir Farooq congratulated the successful applicants and said the authority was continuing to offer additional plots in its housing schemes through three year installment plans. He said the initiative was intended to enable more citizens to acquire plots for residential and commercial purposes through an affordable and structured payment mechanism. Successful applicants can check their allotted plot numbers through the official LDA website. The computerized balloting ceremony was held at the LDA Sports Complex in Johar Town and was attended by a large number of citizens. The Chief Information Technology Officer, Director Auction, Directors Housing, Director Town Planning and other senior LDA officials were also present at the event.

Lahore | ReNews Pakistan The Punjab Safe Cities Authority has decided to expand its panic button project to further strengthen security arrangements for Chinese nationals living and working across the province. Under the initiative, a modern emergency alert system will be installed at Chinese residential compounds, accommodation facilities and project sites, enabling occupants to immediately notify the relevant authorities in the event of a security threat or other emergency. Officials said pressing the panic button would instantly transmit an emergency alert to the concerned law enforcement agencies, helping improve inter agency coordination and reduce response times during critical incidents. As part of the expansion, the Special Protection Unit, which is responsible for providing security to Chinese nationals, will also be equipped with panic button technology to enhance its operational capacity and emergency response capabilities. In the first phase, QR code enabled panic buttons will be installed at more than 200 Chinese linked residential and project locations across Lahore. Authorities said the technology would enable security agencies to respond more quickly and effectively to emergencies while further strengthening protection measures for Chinese citizens and strategically important project sites. The Punjab Safe Cities Authority said work was also underway to further upgrade the emergency alert system as part of broader efforts to improve security arrangements for Chinese nationals residing in the province.