Punjab Province

Rawalpindi | ReNews Pakistan

The Punjab government has made registration mandatory for deed writers across the province, setting October 12, 2026, as the deadline for compliance as part of efforts to improve transparency, accountability and regulation in property documentation and land registration services.

Under the new requirement, unregistered deed writers will no longer be permitted to prepare property registration documents and other legal deeds after the specified deadline.

According to an announcement issued by the Punjab Land Records Authority (PLRA), only registered deed writers will be authorised to prepare legal deeds across Punjab from October 12.

The authority has directed individuals associated with the profession to complete their registration before the deadline to avoid disruptions to their professional activities.

The new arrangements also require newly registering deed writers to have modern biometric machines, a measure intended to integrate document preparation services with the province's expanding digital land records management system.

The initiative is aimed at strengthening oversight of professionals involved in preparing property-related documents, improving the reliability of documentation and promoting greater transparency in property transactions.

Deed writers play an important role in preparing sale deeds, property transfer documents, agreements and other legal instruments used in property transactions.

The introduction of mandatory registration is expected to help authorities maintain a formal record of individuals providing these services and improve accountability within the property documentation sector.

The move may also help discourage unauthorised individuals from preparing legal documents and facilitate better monitoring of documentation practices.

Punjab has already introduced several digital initiatives in the property and land administration sector, including electronic stamp papers, online property registration services and computerised land records.

These reforms are intended to simplify documentation procedures, improve access to land-related services and reduce the risks associated with fraudulent or unverifiable property documents.

The Punjab Land Records Authority operates an electronic property registration system through which various stages of the documentation and registration process can be completed digitally.

The mandatory registration of deed writers represents another step towards integrating property documentation services into the province's broader digital governance framework.

The new requirement will affect deed writers operating in Rawalpindi, Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan, Gujranwala and other districts across Punjab.

Individuals currently providing deed-writing services will need to ensure that their registration is completed before October 12 to continue preparing documents under the revised arrangements.

For property buyers, sellers and other individuals involved in real estate transactions, the development is significant because the registration status of deed writers will become an important consideration when seeking professional documentation services.

The authority has urged all concerned professionals to complete the registration process within the specified timeframe to ensure a smooth transition to the new system.

From October 12, 2026, only registered deed writers will be authorised to prepare deeds under the new provincial arrangements, marking a further step towards regulating property documentation practices and strengthening transparency in Punjab's land administration system.

Lahore | ReNews Pakistan
The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has introduced a revised sales tax collection mechanism for Pakistan's steel industry, imposing rates of up to Rs 35 per unit of electricity consumed by certain manufacturers, including steel melting units, re-rolling mills and businesses operating captive power generation facilities.

The measure, introduced through SRO and subsequently amended through SRO , establishes different tax rates based on the nature of industrial operations, sources of raw materials and electricity consumption arrangements.

According to the FBR notification, the original framework became effective on July 1, 2026, with subsequent amendments introducing further provisions for specific categories of steel manufacturers and industrial units operating in designated regions.

Under the new arrangements, steel melters, re rolling mills and composite steel melting and re rolling units are required to pay sales tax calculated on the basis of electricity consumed during production.

Manufacturers using locally sourced remeltable iron and steel scrap are subject to a general sales tax rate of Rs 30 per electricity unit consumed.

Steel re rollers manufacturing steel bars using either imported or locally sourced raw materials are also subject to a rate of Rs 30 per unit under the amended framework.

However, manufacturers meeting specified imported scrap requirements can qualify for a substantially lower sales tax rate of Rs 5 per electricity unit.

The concession applies to eligible manufacturers whose imported scrap consumption exceeds 70 percent of their relevant raw material consumption during the preceding 12 months, subject to the prescribed documentation and monitoring requirements.

Eligible purchases of specified scrap directly from businesses registered under the Export Facilitation Scheme (EFS) may also qualify for the reduced rate.

The FBR has linked concessional treatment to compliance with its computerized monitoring and documentation systems, making verification of raw material purchases and production records an important part of determining eligibility.

Under the original notification, steel manufacturers operating through captive power arrangements or using self generated electricity were assigned a sales tax rate of Rs 35 per unit consumed.

The framework is therefore not restricted to factories purchasing electricity from distribution companies but also covers relevant steel manufacturers generating electricity independently.

This includes certain industrial operations using captive generation facilities or alternative energy sources for production.

The FBR has also established electricity consumption thresholds for classifying steel manufacturers.

Under the original rules, manufacturers consuming 500,000 or more electricity units per month through a single meter are generally categorized as steel melters or composite units, depending on the nature of their manufacturing activities.

Manufacturers consuming fewer than 500,000 units per month fall under the steel re-rolling category under the prescribed classification mechanism.

The September 2026 amendments also introduced specific provisions for steel manufacturers operating in the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and Provincially Administered Tribal Areas (PATA).

Lahore | ReNews Pakistan
Punjab’s Special Economic Zones (SEZs) attracted proposed investment of more than Rs 76 billion during September 2026 after authorities approved 34 applications for new industrial enterprises, potentially creating more than 7,000 jobs across the province.
According to the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), the approvals were granted following coordinated efforts involving the Punjab government, Punjab Special Economic Zones Authority (SEZA), Faisalabad Industrial Estate Development and Management Company (FIEDMC) and Punjab Industrial Estates Development and Management Company (PIEDMC).
The approved applications relate to industrial projects proposed across different special economic zones in Punjab and include matters involving land allocation as well as other regulatory and administrative approvals that had remained pending.
The proposed projects cover several major industrial sectors, including textiles, ceramics, chemicals, agricultural processing and engineering, indicating a diversified pipeline of manufacturing and value-added investment in the province.
Authorities expect the planned projects, once implemented, to strengthen Punjab’s industrial base, increase production capacity and generate employment opportunities for thousands of workers.
However, the investment amount of more than Rs 76 billion and the estimated creation of over 7,000 jobs represent the potential associated with the approved projects rather than investment already deployed or employment already generated.
The approvals form part of broader efforts by SIFC and provincial authorities to facilitate investors by resolving procedural bottlenecks, accelerating land allotments and streamlining regulatory approvals for enterprises seeking to establish operations in designated economic zones.
SIFC has been coordinating with SEZA Punjab and the two industrial estate development companies to expedite pending applications and address delays faced by prospective investors in completing administrative and land-related requirements.
Special Economic Zones are intended to promote industrialisation by providing designated areas for manufacturing and other commercial activities, supported by dedicated infrastructure and investment facilitation mechanisms.
The latest approvals are expected to help advance industrial projects already in the pipeline and could contribute to higher private-sector investment, increased economic activity and employment generation in Punjab if the proposed ventures move into the implementation and operational stages.