LAHORE (Dunya News) - The Punjab government has finalized preparations for introducing stringent legislation to curb land mafia activities and fraud in the buying and selling of plots across the province.
The development came during a high-level meeting chaired by Punjab Minister for Housing Bilal Yasin at the Board of Revenue. Senior officials including Senior Member Board of Revenue Nabeel Javed, Secretary Housing Noor-ul-Amin Mengal, Director General LDA, and representatives from the Punjab Land Records Authority, PLRA, attended the meeting. Officials from the Local Government, Finance, Law, RUDA, Cooperatives, Environment, and WASA departments were also present.
Participants were briefed that public complaints regarding illegal housing schemes and fake plot file systems would be addressed through a coordinated legal and administrative framework. The Punjab Land Records Authority will develop province-wide software to ensure transparent approval and verification of housing schemes.
The meeting set a target of resolving issues related to digital revenue records, issuance of NOCs, and other regulatory matters within 90 days. Recommendations were also presented to ban the advertisement of illegal housing schemes and to make registration of property dealers mandatory.
Officials further proposed freezing bank accounts and assets of individuals found violating housing and land laws. It was also decided that no construction or settlement would be allowed on natural floodwater passage routes.
Speaking on the occasion, Bilal Yasin said that housing developers are selling plot files far exceeding their approved land holdings. He added that action would be taken against schemes that alter plot locations after installments are paid.
The minister warned that those involved in forgery, deception, and fraud must “correct their course,” stressing that on the directives of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, protecting public rights remains a top priority of the Punjab government.