Sahiwal Division

Sahiwal | ReNews Pakistan The district administration has demolished 12 illegal housing societies, along with concrete structures constructed within their premises, as part of a two-week enforcement operation against unauthorised housing developments in the Sahiwal region. The operation was jointly conducted by the Punjab Enforcement and Regulatory Authority (PERA) force, local police and revenue department officials on the directives of Deputy Commissioner and District Council Administrator Asif Raza. According to officials, the housing schemes fall within the jurisdiction of the District Council, Pakpattan, and had been declared illegal through separate notifications and subsequent reminders issued by the deputy commissioner. The schemes reportedly failed to fulfil mandatory legal and regulatory requirements, with most of them lacking approval of their layout plans from the Zila Council. The administration launched the demolition drive after negotiations and other efforts to persuade the owners to comply with legal requirements failed to produce results. Heavy machinery was used to remove concrete structures and other unauthorised constructions established within the housing schemes. The operation was led by Enforcement Inspector Muhammad Zeeshan, with officials from the police and revenue departments providing support during the clearance activities. Speaking to Dawn by telephone, DC Asif Raza said the administration would adopt a strict approach towards unauthorised development and warned that no individual would be exempt from enforcement action. The administration has also registered criminal cases against the owners of four illegal housing schemes under relevant provisions of the Local Government Ordinance 2025 and Local Government Ordinance 2022. The cases were registered at Saddar, Rang Shah, Qabola and City police stations in Arifwala. Officials said that although cases had been registered, none of the owners had been arrested because they had obtained pre-arrest bail from local tehsil and district courts. The latest operation highlights growing administrative efforts to prevent the development and sale of housing schemes without mandatory approvals. Authorities have maintained that housing projects operating without approved layout plans and other required permissions can expose buyers to legal, ownership and infrastructure-related risks. The district administration has indicated that enforcement action will continue against housing schemes found operating in violation of applicable laws and planning regulations.

Sahiwal: [ReNews Pakistan] The Punjab government has made the "Green Property Certificate" mandatory for buying and selling property in Sahiwal, following its implementation in major cities. Under the new system, traditional documents such as the sale deed (Fard Baraye Bai) will no longer be accepted for any type of property transaction. This step has been taken as part of ongoing reforms by the Punjab Land Records Authority and the Board of Revenue to modernize, streamline, and enhance transparency in the land record system. From now on, all property transactions in Sahiwal will be carried out exclusively through the Green Property Certificate. According to officials, the system will be gradually expanded to other districts to ensure a uniform and secure land record system across the province. The initiative aims to safeguard property ownership and boundaries while minimizing the risks of fraud and forgery in property dealings. Director General of the Punjab Land Records Authority, Ikram-ul-Haq, stated that under the vision of Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif, a modern, transparent, and efficient land management system is being introduced to facilitate the public.