Punjab Province

The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) is stepping up enforcement against illegal housing schemes, issuing final notices to non-compliant projects and preparing to seek the disconnection of their electricity and gas supplies.

The RDA’s Metropolitan Planning and Traffic Engineering Directorate has developed the enforcement strategy in coordination with its Enforcement Squad, according to official sources. The plan targets unauthorized residential developments operating without approved layouts and required clearance certificates. Under the proposed action, the authority will write to the Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO) and Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL), recommending that utility connections to illegal schemes be disconnected.

The RDA has also instructed developers, builders and housing scheme managements to register on its Housing Scheme Management System (HSMS) portal within the stipulated timeframe. Those who fail to comply could face legal proceedings, the sealing of site offices and the demolition of unauthorized structures.

The authority plans to issue public notices warning citizens against investing in unapproved housing projects. It has urged prospective buyers to verify a scheme’s legal status through the RDA’s official website before purchasing residential or commercial property.

The Punjab cabinet has unanimously deferred a proposal to cut the commercialisation fee from 20% to 10% of a property’s DC valuation, leaving applicants without immediate relief.
Sources said the fee for declaring a property commercial currently stands at 20% of its DC valuation. In anticipation of the proposed reduction, many property owners had waited for the rate to fall, and several had not paid challans issued for commercialisation cases.

The proposal was deferred amid concerns that the reduction could cause significant losses to the public exchequer. The Lahore Development Authority (LDA) could also face a substantial annual shortfall in commercialisation fee revenue.

Lahore Fort’s historic Akbari Gate has been restored after remaining closed since British rule, paving the way for a new public entrance linking the fort with the Walled City.

Authorities plan to install a ticketing booth before opening the gate for visitors and local residents.
A soft launch ceremony was held to mark the restoration of the gate and the Curator’s House, another historic structure within the fort. The conservation work was carried out under the Heritage and Urban Regeneration: Tourism Development in Lahore Fort and its Buffer Zone (HURL) project. Launched in 2022, the project is supported by the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and implemented by the Punjab Walled Cities and Heritage Areas Authority (PWCA) in partnership with Aga Khan Cultural Service Pakistan (AKCS-P).

PWCA Director General Najmus Saqib said the restored entrance would improve public access to heritage sites, attract tourists and create economic opportunities. Reopening the gate is expected to provide a more direct connection between Lahore Fort and the surrounding Walled City. The Curator’s House, a British-era building that was previously used as a guard room and later for administrative and residential purposes, is set to be converted into an eatery for visitors.

AKCS-P Chief Executive Officer Tausif Khawaja said the conservation work was intended to preserve Lahore’s cultural heritage while supporting local communities and economic activity.