Punjab Province

Lahore : ReNews Pakistan
The Lahore Development Authority’s Governing Body has approved a combined budget of Rs 88.613 billion for LDA and TEPA for fiscal year 2026-27, while setting a revenue target of Rs 47 billion for the authority during the current financial year.
The meeting also approved several major initiatives, including the launch of a new Pine Sector in LDA City, development of commercial plots for a proposed tech park near Arfa Karim Tower, and the introduction of maintenance charges in three LDA housing schemes.
The sixth meeting of the LDA Governing Body was chaired by LDA Vice Chairman Mian Marghoob Ahmad. Parliamentary Secretary for Housing Barrister Sultan Bajwa, WASA Vice Chairman Chaudhry Shahbaz, LDA Director General Tahir Farooq and senior officials from relevant departments attended the meeting.
LDA Director General Tahir Farooq briefed the Governing Body on various agenda items.
The meeting approved the combined Rs88.613 billion budget for LDA and TEPA for FY2026-27. A separate budget of Rs 3.5 billion was approved for TEPA, while Rs 10 billion has been earmarked by the Punjab government as a loan for Structure Plan roads and Rs 6.3 billion for Annual Development Programme schemes.
A total of Rs 12.5 billion has been allocated for development works in LDA City, Rs 13.5 billion for sustainable development and urban regeneration, and Rs 4 billion for LDA Avenue One.
The Governing Body set a revenue target of Rs 17 billion for Town Planning during the current fiscal year. A further Rs19.2 billion revenue target has been set under Sales and Allotment, including Rs 15 billion expected from LDA City alone.
The meeting also approved proposed amendments to the LDA Building and Zoning Regulations 2019.
The Governing Body approved a pilot project to improve cleanliness and other municipal services in LDA Avenue One, Jubilee Town and LDA Enclave through the introduction of maintenance charges.
Maintenance charges will apply to residential and commercial properties measuring three, five, seven and 10 marlas, as well as one kanal, in the three schemes. However, LDA will provide the services free of charge for the first two months.
The meeting also approved a plan to develop and market plots for a tech park on 118 kanals of land along Ferozepur Road, adjacent to Arfa Karim Tower. The proposed LDA Tech Park will offer commercial plots measuring one kanal, 15 marlas and eight marlas.
The Governing Body also approved the launch of a new Pine Sector in LDA City, which will include commercial plots of different sizes as well as one-kanal residential plots.
Officials also gave a detailed briefing on LDA City’s revenue generation plan, while approval was granted for the installation of solar-powered streetlights in different blocks of the scheme.
The Governing Body further approved an allocation of Rs100 million during the current fiscal year for initiatives being undertaken jointly by LDA and UNICEF to make Lahore a child-friendly city.
Several agenda items relating to the LDA Sales and Allotment Directorate were also approved.
The Governing Body appreciated the performance of LDA Director General Tahir Farooq and his team in revenue generation during the previous fiscal year. According to officials, LDA achieved a record Rs 32 billion in revenue last year, the highest in its history.
The meeting was also attended by Technical Member Akbar Sheikh, Technical Member Abdul Hannan and representatives of the Finance, Housing and Local Government departments, WASA and the Commissioner’s Office.
Additional Directors General for Housing, Headquarters and Urban Planning, Chief Engineer-I, Chief Town Planners, the Chief Metropolitan Planner, and directors from Finance, Auction, LDA City, TEPA and Housing also attended the meeting.

Lahore | ReNews Pakistan
Private housing societies in Lahore have until August 31, 2026 to upload their complete property purchase and sale records to the Housing Societies Management System (HSMS), as Punjab moves towards a digital system aimed at making property ownership easier to verify and reducing fraud.
The deadline has attracted attention on social media, where several property pages are describing it as a major change for buyers and investors. However, the August 31 deadline applies mainly to housing societies for completing the transfer of their records to the digital system.
For property buyers and sellers in Lahore, the more important change has already taken effect. According to a public notice displayed by the Lahore Development Authority (LDA), a Property Certificate has been required for property transactions in Lahore housing schemes since July 1, 2026.
Under the new system, the Property Certificate serves as official proof linked to property ownership records. The move is intended to reduce dependence on traditional files and make it easier to check whether the person selling a property is recorded as its owner.
Private housing societies have been directed to place their purchase and sale records on HSMS by August 31. Reports on the government directive say societies that fail to comply may face action under the LDA Act, 1975.
The Punjab Land Records Authority also describes its Green Property Certificate as an official document used to verify the ownership and legal status of a property.
For buyers, the change means that relying only on a property file, allotment letter or a dealer's claim may no longer be enough. Before making a payment, buyers should check the status of the housing scheme and confirm that the property can be verified through the official digital record.
LDA currently provides separate online sections for approved, illegal and regular housing schemes, along with tools for checking property and application status.
The digitalisation drive could become particularly important in Lahore's property market, where disputes over ownership, duplicate files and incomplete society records have long remained a concern for buyers.
With the August 31 deadline approaching, the key question will be how many private housing societies complete their digital records on time and what action authorities take against schemes that remain outside the system.

Lahore | ReNews Pakistan
The Punjab Revenue Authority (PRA) has issued new billing guidelines for restaurants, hotels, coffee shops and food chains across Punjab in a move aimed at improving tax transparency and ensuring customers receive proper receipts.
Under the new instructions, restaurants, food chains and coffee shops will be required to display the guidelines prominently at their premises.
The PRA has advised customers to always demand a digital receipt after making payment at restaurants, hotels or other food outlets.
According to the authority, every digital receipt must carry a PRA invoice number and QR code, allowing customers to verify that the transaction has been properly recorded.
Customers have also been asked to report restaurants and other food businesses that refuse to accept digital or card payments.
The PRA has already prohibited restaurants and hotels from issuing kitchen orders, unpaid bills, pre bills or temporary bills to customers instead of proper tax invoices.
The new measures are intended to improve documentation of restaurant transactions, strengthen tax compliance and provide customers with greater transparency when paying their bills.