Punjab Province

Sahiwal | ReNews Pakistan
The district administration has demolished 12 illegal housing societies, along with concrete structures constructed within their premises, as part of a two-week enforcement operation against unauthorised housing developments in the Sahiwal region.
The operation was jointly conducted by the Punjab Enforcement and Regulatory Authority (PERA) force, local police and revenue department officials on the directives of Deputy Commissioner and District Council Administrator Asif Raza.
According to officials, the housing schemes fall within the jurisdiction of the District Council, Pakpattan, and had been declared illegal through separate notifications and subsequent reminders issued by the deputy commissioner. The schemes reportedly failed to fulfil mandatory legal and regulatory requirements, with most of them lacking approval of their layout plans from the Zila Council.
The administration launched the demolition drive after negotiations and other efforts to persuade the owners to comply with legal requirements failed to produce results. Heavy machinery was used to remove concrete structures and other unauthorised constructions established within the housing schemes.
The operation was led by Enforcement Inspector Muhammad Zeeshan, with officials from the police and revenue departments providing support during the clearance activities.
Speaking to Dawn by telephone, DC Asif Raza said the administration would adopt a strict approach towards unauthorised development and warned that no individual would be exempt from enforcement action.
The administration has also registered criminal cases against the owners of four illegal housing schemes under relevant provisions of the Local Government Ordinance 2025 and Local Government Ordinance 2022.
The cases were registered at Saddar, Rang Shah, Qabola and City police stations in Arifwala. Officials said that although cases had been registered, none of the owners had been arrested because they had obtained pre-arrest bail from local tehsil and district courts.
The latest operation highlights growing administrative efforts to prevent the development and sale of housing schemes without mandatory approvals. Authorities have maintained that housing projects operating without approved layout plans and other required permissions can expose buyers to legal, ownership and infrastructure-related risks.
The district administration has indicated that enforcement action will continue against housing schemes found operating in violation of applicable laws and planning regulations.

Lahore : Riaz Hussain ReNews Pakistan
Under the directives of Director General Lahore Development Authority (LDA) Tahir Farooq, the authority has further accelerated reforms in its field inspection and enforcement system. New instructions have been issued to all relevant wings and field staff to ensure clear identification of officials and personnel during field operations.
According to the directives issued by the LDA, all relevant staff engaged in field activities will be required to prominently display QR-code-based official identification cards. Officials and personnel deployed in the field will also be required to wear designated LDA jackets, enabling citizens to easily distinguish authorised LDA teams from unauthorised individuals.
Under the new protocols, LDA deputy directors, assistant directors, inspectors, enforcement teams, surveyors and other field personnel have been directed to ensure strict compliance with the instructions. Officials have been instructed to maintain proper identification and follow the prescribed procedures during all field inspections and enforcement activities.
According to LDA officials, the measures are primarily aimed at tightening the crackdown on private individuals who misuse the authority’s name or falsely claim to exercise LDA powers, while protecting citizens from fraudulent or unauthorised persons. Complaints have emerged in various instances regarding individuals approaching citizens in the name of government departments or conducting purported field inspections, prompting the authority to strengthen its identification mechanism.
The LDA has also urged citizens to verify the official identity of personnel who visit them for inspections or other official activities. Citizens have been advised to check the QR coded identification card and confirm the credentials of the visiting officials before cooperating with any inspection or enforcement activity.
The authority has made it clear that strict legal action will be taken against private individuals who mislead citizens by using the LDA’s name, designation or purported official powers. The authority will also continue strengthening monitoring of field activities and improving the verification system for its field personnel.
According to the LDA, the reforms are intended to promote transparency in field inspections, enhance public confidence and prevent the unauthorised use of the authority’s name. The introduction of QR coded identification cards and designated jackets will make it easier for citizens to identify genuine LDA field teams while helping authorities take more effective action against individuals posing as government officials.

Lahore | ReNews Pakistan
A major operation against alleged encroachment on government land has resulted in the recovery of valuable commercial property worth more than Rs 900 million in Lahore. The operation has been described as part of ongoing efforts to protect state-owned assets and curb illegal occupation of government land.
According to details, the Liquidation Committee of the Board of Revenue Punjab conducted the operation in the Mall Road area of Lahore on the directives of the Member Colonies Board of Revenue and Chairman Liquidation Committee Malik Abdul Waheed. Officials said the action was initiated after reports of alleged encroachment on government-owned land, following which relevant records were examined, ownership status was verified and necessary inquiries were completed.
Based on the official record and findings of the investigation, orders were issued to remove the encroachment. Teams of the Liquidation Committee subsequently carried out the operation at the site. Heavy machinery was used to demolish a boundary wall constructed on the government land, enabling the authorities to regain possession of the property.
Officials said the recovered property comprises highly valuable commercial land, with an estimated worth of more than Rs900 million. Security personnel have also been deployed at the site to protect the recovered land from renewed encroachment or unauthorised use.
The operation was conducted with the participation of the Property, Revenue, Administration, Legal and Operations wings of the Liquidation Committee. The concerned departments coordinated the verification of land records, completion of legal requirements and execution of the operation.
Board of Revenue Punjab officials said encroachment on government land would not be tolerated under any circumstances and that operations to recover valuable state-owned properties would continue. They said the recovery of government land was important not only for safeguarding public assets but also for ensuring transparent and lawful land use in urban areas.
The recovery of government commercial land worth hundreds of millions of rupees from a strategically important area such as Mall Road is being viewed as a significant development in Punjab’s ongoing efforts to protect state-owned properties. Authorities are expected to continue scrutinising government land records and taking action against illegal occupation as part of the broader drive to safeguard public land.