Punjab Province

Rawalpindi | ReNews Pakistan
The cost of the Rawalpindi Ring Road project has surged to more than Rs 53 billion from an initial estimate of Rs 22.82 billion, as repeated delays and revisions have left the major infrastructure scheme incomplete around five years after its launch.

The 38.3 kilometre, six-lane Ring Road project was awarded in March 2022 with the objective of improving traffic flow, strengthening regional connectivity and easing pressure on Rawalpindi’s existing road network.

However, delays in the project’s execution and subsequent revisions have pushed its cost up by around Rs 30 billion, taking the overall estimated expenditure beyond Rs 53 billion.

The Punjab government has announced several deadlines for completion of the project over the years, while preparations for its inauguration were reportedly made on two occasions. Despite these efforts, the road has yet to become fully operational.

Sources in the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) said approximately 90 percent of construction work has now been completed and work on the remaining portions is progressing rapidly.

The prolonged delay and sharp escalation in cost have raised concerns over the financial burden on the public exchequer, particularly given the scale and strategic importance of the project. The Ring Road is regarded as one of the largest infrastructure projects undertaken in Rawalpindi.

Alongside construction delays and rising costs, the project has also faced scrutiny over alleged alterations to its original design.

An inquiry into the alleged design changes was launched in July, with Additional Chief Secretary Ahmed Raza Sarwar seeking the complete record of the project for examination.

Issues relating to No Objection Certificates (NOCs), approved layouts, access roads and other regulatory clearances have also become the subject of legal disputes, with some matters reaching the courts.

Questions surrounding alterations to the Ring Road’s original design first emerged in 2022 during the Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf government’s tenure. The controversy subsequently led to the transfer of then Rawalpindi Commissioner Muhammad Mehmood, Deputy Commissioner Anwar-ul-Haq and several other officials.

With most of the physical work now reported to have been completed, attention remains focused on the completion of the remaining construction, resolution of regulatory and legal issues and the final cost of a project whose estimated expenditure has more than doubled since its inception.

Lahore | ReNews Pakistan
A bill has been submitted to the Punjab Assembly proposing reforms to the inheritance framework for minority communities, including the registration of succession matters with the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) and formal documentation of gifts made during the distribution of inherited property.
Under the proposed Succession Act 2025, inheritance-related matters involving minority communities would be registered with NADRA to make the transfer and distribution of inherited property more transparent and properly documented.
The proposed legislation would also bring gifts and property transfers made by way of hiba within the registration framework where they affect the distribution of an inheritance. The measure is intended to create a formal record of property ownership, transfers and the respective shares of heirs, potentially helping to prevent and resolve future inheritance disputes.
The bill has been submitted by Philebus Christopher, chairman of the Punjab Assembly’s Standing Committee on Minority Affairs. He said the proposed legislation could mark an important step towards safeguarding the inheritance rights of minority communities and establishing a clearer legal mechanism for dealing with succession matters.
Christopher said the legislation would not only provide minorities in Punjab with a defined legal framework for resolving inheritance matters but could also encourage other provinces to introduce similar measures aimed at protecting the rights of minority communities.
A key feature of the proposed law is the formal documentation of succession proceedings. Registration would help establish a more systematic record of property transfers, gifts, hiba and the rights and shares of legal heirs.
If approved and implemented, the legislation is expected to provide a formal legal and administrative framework for inheritance matters involving minority communities. Linking succession records with NADRA could also facilitate verification of relevant information and improve transparency in the distribution and transfer of inherited property.
The proposed legislation is also intended to replace the century old legal framework currently governing inheritance matters for minority communities, bringing the system in line with contemporary documentation and registration requirements.

Gujranwala : ReNews Pakistan
The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) Gujranwala has registered a case against 11 people, including four tehsildars and other revenue officials, over the alleged entry of 984 bogus land mutations based on fake registry documents in Ladhe Wala Warraich village.
According to ACE Gujranwala Region spokesperson Rana Shabbir Ashraf, the allegedly fraudulent mutations were entered into official revenue records from July 2024 onwards, resulting in an estimated loss of Rs115 million to the public exchequer.
The case was registered on the directives of ACE Punjab Director General Sohail Zafar Chattha and ACE Gujranwala Region Director Amjad Shehzad as part of an investigation into alleged manipulation of land and revenue records.
Officials said the inquiry centres on hundreds of mutations allegedly processed using fake registry documents. Investigators are examining how the documents were used to make changes in official land records and whether additional government officials or private individuals facilitated the alleged irregularities.
Those nominated in the case include Tehsildars Sarfraz Ahmed Cheema, Arshad Dulo, Imtiaz Sahi and Iltif Hussain Tarrar, as well as Naib Tehsildar Captain Naseem.
Other accused include Prosh, described as an HRC official at the Gujranwala Deputy Commissioner's Office; Manzoor Ahmed Wasal Baqi; Patwaris Mustafa Mann and Bilal Butt; and deed writers Faisal Bhatti and Amanat Bhatti.
The case has been registered at the Anti-Corruption Police Station Gujranwala under Sections 409, 420, 468, 471 and 162 of the Pakistan Penal Code, along with provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947.
The allegations involve suspected cheating, forgery, use of allegedly forged documents and other offences connected with the handling of public records and property transactions. The accusations against those nominated in the case remain subject to investigation and have not yet been established by a court.
Land mutations form an important part of Pakistan's revenue administration system, recording changes relating to ownership and other rights in immovable property. Fraudulent entries can lead to disputes over property rights while also causing financial losses to the government through irregular or unlawful transactions.
ACE Gujranwala Region Director Amjad Shehzad said no concession would be given to anyone found responsible for causing losses to the public exchequer.
He said investigators would also determine the role of any other officials who may have been involved in the alleged irregularities. If evidence emerges against additional individuals during the investigation, action would be initiated against them in accordance with the law.
The investigation is expected to examine the origin and authenticity of the registry documents, the procedure through which the 984 mutations were entered into revenue records and the respective roles of officials and private individuals allegedly involved in processing the transactions.
Authorities are also expected to assess the full financial impact of the alleged irregularities as the investigation progresses.