Sindh Real Estate News and Land Insights

Larkana | ReNews Pakistan
The rapidly shifting course of the Indus River near Larkana has raised serious concerns over the safety of residential areas, agricultural land, property investments and future housing developments, as a SUPARCO satellite analysis shows that the river’s active channel has shifted by approximately 4.5 kilometres over the past 35 years.
According to the SUPARCO satellite analysis, a significant change has been recorded in the flow of the Indus near the Moria Loop Bund, east of Larkana city. The changing river course has brought the active channel closer to a critical section of the flood protection bund, increasing the risk of breaches during severe flooding or exceptionally high river flows.
The situation also presents a major challenge for Pakistan’s property and urban planning sectors, particularly at a time when the country is facing a severe housing shortage. According to figures cited from the State Bank of Pakistan, the country faces a housing deficit of around 10 million units, with the shortfall increasing by approximately 350,000 units every year.
Experts warn that housing expansion without considering floodplains, river corridors and natural drainage routes could expose thousands of families, as well as billions of rupees invested in property and infrastructure, to significant future risks.
The devastating floods of 2010 provide a historical example of such vulnerabilities. Proceedings of the Flood Commission constituted by the Supreme Court of Pakistan highlighted how the expansion of settlements and construction along river corridors had significantly obstructed the natural flow of floodwaters, contributing to widespread destruction across several districts.
At the Tori Bund site, several new settlements and fish ponds had been established within the loop area. These developments were among the factors associated with the subsequent catastrophic breach of the bund. The resulting floods affected large parts of Sindh, forcing residents to evacuate and causing extensive damage to homes, agricultural land and livelihoods.
Water resources expert Zulfiqar Ali Halepoto has pointed to the continued expansion of development activities in riverine areas, saying that lessons learned from past floods have not been adequately incorporated into land-use policies and urban planning.
Recent satellite observations around the Moria and Aqeel Loop Bund areas indicate that approximately 2,000 hectares of land along the left bank of the Indus have been eroded and lost to the river. This erosion has reduced the area of agricultural and floodplain land while bringing the active river channel closer to the existing protective bund.
Meanwhile, sediment and sand deposition along the opposite bank has created approximately 1,600 hectares of new potentially cultivable land. However, experts caution that this newly formed land remains vulnerable and temporary in nature because the river could change course again in the future. It therefore cannot be considered safe for permanent agricultural use or property development without a proper risk assessment.
The threat is not limited to Larkana. A comparative review of 2025 satellite imagery from the Latifabad area of Hyderabad further indicates that urban expansion has encroached upon parts of the natural riverine protection belt.
Areas that once consisted of agricultural and open land, providing natural space for absorbing rainwater and allowing excess floodwater to spread, have increasingly been replaced by permanent residential structures, roads and other infrastructure.
Construction across natural floodplains can restrict the pathways available for excess water generated by intense monsoon rainfall or by increased flows resulting from snow and glacier melt in upstream areas. This can raise water levels and flow velocities while increasing pressure on protective bunds and nearby settlements.
A further comparison of satellite images of Larkana from 1990 and 2025 highlights the growing interaction between the changing course of the Indus and urban expansion. In 1990, the river’s main channel passed several kilometres away from the flood protection bund, following a broad curve. Over time, erosion and sediment deposition have caused the main channel to shift eastward.
The danger is no longer limited to floodwaters overtopping the bund. Continued erosion and the washing away of soil beneath the structure could also weaken its foundation. In the event of a sudden breach, floodwaters could rapidly enter nearby residential and agricultural areas, leaving limited time for evacuation and potentially causing severe damage to homes, land and critical infrastructure.
The situation underscores the need to make formal flood risk assessments a mandatory component of approvals for new housing schemes and urban expansion. Experts say that instead of approving housing projects solely on the basis of land availability and rising residential demand, urban planning must also incorporate the natural flow of rivers, floodplains, drainage systems and environmental risks.
A risk sensitive approach to land-use planning, experts stress, is essential to protect communities, agricultural assets and property investments from the growing threat posed by changing river courses and extreme flood events.

Karachi | ReNews Pakistan
Karachi’s industrial areas are set for a major infrastructure upgrade as the Sindh government has allocated more than Rs 9.25 billion for development works across seven industrial zones of the city, with funds transferred to the respective industrial areas.
Karachi Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab said the allocation would be used primarily to improve roads and other essential infrastructure in industrial zones, where inadequate road networks and deteriorating basic facilities have remained a longstanding concern for businesses and manufacturers.
According to reports, the development programme covers seven major industrial associations, including SITE Association of Trade and Industry, SITE Superhighway, North Karachi Association of Trade and Industry, Federal B Area Association of Trade and Industry, Landhi Association of Trade and Industry (LATI), Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI) and Bin Qasim Association of Trade and Industry (BQATI).
The allocation follows an earlier decision by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah to provide funding for urgent rehabilitation of roads and allied infrastructure in Karachi’s industrial areas. The first phase proposals were estimated at around Rs 9.28 billion and included allocations of Rs 2 billion for SITE, Rs 700 million for SITE Superhighway, Rs 721.74 million for North Karachi, Rs 860.55 million for Federal B Area, Rs 2 billion for Landhi, Rs 2 billion for Korangi and Rs 1 billion for Bin Qasim.
Wahab said the development works would be carried out through a public private partnership style arrangement in which the government provides the funds while industrial organisations identify priorities and undertake the development work. He has set December as the target for completion of the broader programme.
The approach is already being implemented in SITE Superhighway Industrial Area, where the mayor recently launched several development schemes under a Rs 700 million special grant from the Sindh government. Those projects are scheduled to be completed by December 15.
The mayor has described the development of industrial zones as directly linked to Karachi’s economic growth, saying improved infrastructure and basic facilities would help promote business activity and create employment opportunities. Industrial stakeholders have also been given authority to identify and prioritise schemes according to the needs of their respective areas.
The current programme follows a broader effort by the Karachi administration and Sindh government to rehabilitate industrial infrastructure. In March, industrial associations presented development proposals worth billions of rupees, including schemes of Rs 600 million for SITE Superhighway, Rs 2 billion for KITE, Rs 859 million for Federal B Area, Rs 2 billion for Landhi, Rs1 billion for North Karachi and Rs 621 million for Bin Qasim.
Wahab has also indicated that additional funds could be allocated for industrial areas in the next financial year, suggesting that the current package may represent the beginning of a longer term infrastructure improvement programme.
The investment is particularly significant for Karachi, Pakistan’s major industrial and commercial centre, where the condition of roads and supporting infrastructure directly affects the movement of raw materials, finished goods and freight between factories, markets, ports and national highways.
If implemented within the announced timelines, the Rs 9.25 billion programme could improve connectivity within industrial estates, reduce transportation difficulties for businesses and strengthen the infrastructure base needed to support industrial activity and employment in Karachi.

Karachi | ReNews Pakistan
The Naya Nazimabad Apartment REIT (NNAR) has received strong investor interest, with the book-building portion of its public offering fully subscribed within the first hour of bidding on the opening day.
The two day book building process commenced on September 1 and will continue through September 2, ahead of the proposed listing of the REIT on the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX). The rapid subscription reflects significant demand from institutional investors and high net worth individuals for exposure to Pakistan’s real estate sector through a regulated REIT structure.
NNAR is offering a total of 44.06 million units, equivalent to 15% of the scheme, through an Offer for Sale. The total offering is divided between institutional and high net worth investors participating in the book-building process and the general public.
Under the offering structure, 33.05 million units, representing 75% of the total offer, have been reserved for the book-building portion. The remaining 25%, or approximately 11.02 million units, will subsequently be offered to the general public at the strike price determined through the book building process.
The units have been offered within a price band of Rs 18 to Rs 23 per unit. Based on this range, the total value of the offering is estimated at approximately Rs 793 million to Rs 1.013 billion, depending on the final strike price established through investor bidding.
The strong response during the opening hour could provide an early indication of investor appetite for listed real estate investment products at a time when Pakistan’s capital market is increasingly seeking avenues to channel institutional and retail capital into property-related assets.
NNAR is structured as a closed-end, Shariah compliant developmental Real Estate Investment Trust and is managed by Arif Habib Dolmen REIT Management Limited. The scheme is designed to provide investors with participation in a diversified portfolio of real estate assets while operating under the regulatory framework governing REITs in Pakistan.
The REIT comprises three real estate portfolios located across Karachi and Lahore. Collectively, these portfolios had an assessed value of approximately Rs 20.46 billion as of April 2026, giving the scheme a substantial underlying property base compared with the size of the current unit offering.
The completion of the book building process on September 2 will determine the final strike price for the offering. Following the conclusion of this phase, 11.02 million units will be made available to general public investors at the price established through the book building process.
The proposed PSX listing is expected to provide investors with a market-based avenue to trade their units after listing, while the successful subscription of the institutional portion within the first hour highlights the growing interest in professionally managed and Shariah compliant real estate investment structures in Pakistan.