Punjab Province

Lahore: [ReNews Pakistan]
The Punjab government has announced the issuance of a property certificate for the legal verification of property ownership and possession, declaring it an important ownership document for housing schemes in Lahore.
According to the government notification, from July 1, 2026, the property certificate will be used as the basic legal document for property verification in all housing schemes of Lahore, including private housing schemes. The move is aimed at making property records secure, transparent and verifiable online.
The Punjab government has clarified that no separate fee or tax has been fixed in the name of the property certificate. Officials said some elements were attempting to collect additional money from citizens during property transactions under the pretext of the property certificate, although no extra official charge has been imposed in this regard.
In the notification, citizens have been advised to obtain only the verified property certificate to protect their property rights. The certificate will serve as an important document for verifying land ownership, possession and record scrutiny, helping reduce property disputes and the risk of forgery.
According to the government, from July 2026, digital property certificates will replace paper-based mutations and traditional ownership documents. Under the system, property records will be stored digitally, while citizens will also be able to verify their ownership online.
Officials said citizens’ identity and property records would be made more secure through NADRA and other digital systems. The initiative is expected to reduce illegal transfers, fake documents and ownership disputes.
The Punjab government has urged the public to remain alert to any unnecessary fee, suspicious demand or illegal collection during the purchase and sale of property.
Citizens have been advised to immediately report any individual or institution demanding extra money in the name of the property certificate to the relevant government authorities.
Officials said the purpose of the property certificate is to protect citizens’ property rights, ensure transparency in transactions and secure land records in line with modern requirements.

Lahore | ReNews Pakistan
The Punjab government has decided to further tighten the ongoing crackdown against illegal Afghan nationals, directing district administrations and police across the province to intensify intelligence gathering, step up search operations and make the profiling of undocumented foreigners more effective.
According to sources, Punjab Home Secretary Dr Ahmed Javed Qazi has issued an important letter to all commissioners and regional police officers. The letter was sent after a high level meeting with the federal government on May 25, during which the strategy regarding the repatriation, monitoring and arrest of foreigners residing illegally in the country was reviewed.
Officials said that 15 to 30 illegal Afghan nationals are being traced and detained daily in different districts of Punjab, particularly in northern Punjab. In view of this situation, the provincial government has decided to further strengthen monitoring, reporting and operational coordination at the district level to make the campaign more organised and effective.
The Home Department has directed all deputy commissioners to prepare and submit detailed reports on every illegal Afghan national being kept at holding centres.
District administrations have also been instructed to compile details about the background of each arrest, previous hideouts, movement routes and the individuals or networks allegedly involved in providing accommodation, logistical support or protection.
The letter stated that undocumented foreigners present in holding centres could provide highly important information to law enforcement agencies. Deputy commissioners and district police officers have therefore been directed to use the information obtained from them for meaningful intelligence based and search operations.
Under the revised reporting mechanism, districts will no longer be required to provide only the number of newly arrested illegal Afghan nationals. They will also have to explain how such individuals were identified, where they had been hiding, how their accommodation was arranged and how they managed to avoid arrest during previous operations.
Officials have been informed that the entire process will be closely monitored by the Home Department. Deputy commissioners and DPOs have been directed to take personal responsibility for the campaign so that no negligence or weak coordination occurs at the field level.
Copies of the letter have also been sent to all divisional commissioners and regional police officers for immediate implementation and operational coordination. Officials said the policy is part of broader efforts to strengthen internal security, regulate undocumented migration and improve the border control system.
Security officials said Punjab has become a key focus of the campaign because a large number of undocumented Afghan nationals leaving border areas and other provinces were attempting to take temporary shelter in urban and semi urban areas of central and northern Punjab to avoid identification.
Officials said many undocumented individuals frequently change their places of residence, use informal tenancy arrangements and evade routine verification and search operations with the help of local facilitators. For this reason, the new strategy gives basic importance not only to arrests but also to identifying facilitator networks, secret hideouts and patterns of movement.
Senior security analysts said the Punjab government’s new policy reflects a clear shift from conventional actions toward intelligence led operations. The objective of this strategy is not only to identify people living illegally in the country but also to reach those elements that provide them with shelter, mobility or other forms of assistance.
Officials said the campaign is aimed only at individuals residing in the country without legal documents. Operations will continue under federal policy guidelines in coordination with provincial governments, district administrations, police and law enforcement agencies.

Lahore | ReNews Pakistan
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has offered the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank partnership opportunities in major housing, transport, water, sanitation and urban development projects across the province.
The offer was made during a meeting in Lahore with AIIB Chief Investment Officer Konstantin Limitovskiy. AIIB Director General Xiaohong Yang was also part of the delegation. The meeting focused on potential institutional cooperation in development initiatives aimed at improving public services, urban infrastructure and climate-sensitive planning in Punjab.
During the meeting, the chief minister briefed the AIIB delegation on ongoing provincial development programmes and highlighted the government’s priority projects.
She said Punjab was moving ahead with a broad reform and development agenda focused on housing access, modern transport, clean water supply, sanitation, healthcare and urban governance.
Maryam Nawaz Sharif particularly mentioned the Apni Chhat Apna Ghar housing programme, describing it as one of the province’s flagship public welfare initiatives. She said the programme had delivered more than 100,000 homes within one year, providing housing support to families across Punjab.
The chief minister also briefed the delegation on electric bus and e-bike programmes being introduced to promote environmentally friendly transport. She said Punjab was working to modernise public transport through cleaner mobility options and better urban connectivity, while reducing pressure on existing transport systems.
Water and sanitation projects also came under discussion during the meeting. Maryam Nawaz said Punjab was already cooperating with AIIB in Lahore’s water and sanitation sector through an MoU aimed at improving infrastructure. She said planned projects included wastewater drainage systems, water treatment facilities and other urban service improvements.
According to the chief minister, Punjab’s development approach is based on data-driven planning, climate-sensitive governance and improved service delivery. She said the provincial government wants to expand partnerships with international development institutions for sustainable infrastructure and long-term public benefit.
The AIIB delegation and the Punjab government expressed interest in strengthening cooperation in infrastructure and development sectors. Both sides agreed that housing, clean transport, water, sanitation and urban development offered important opportunities for future collaboration across the province.