LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Saturday chaired a high-level meeting to review and formalize proposals for regularizing thousands of illegal housing societies across the province, while announcing plans to digitize the housing sector and streamline regulatory processes.
The CM expressed strong concerns over the growing number of unapproved housing schemes, holding both government departments and private developers responsible.
“These illegal societies were established in collusion with the departments that were supposed to regulate them,” she said. “But only the common man who bought the plots has suffered.”
According to an official briefing during the meeting, Punjab currently has 7,905 housing societies spread over 2 million kanals. Of these, 2,687 are approved, while 5,118 remain illegal or are under process.
Within the jurisdiction of the Lahore Development Authority, 707 schemes have been reported, including 427 approved schemes, 206 illegal ones, and 74 that are currently under review.
Sharif proposed that illegal schemes be considered for a one-time amnesty under legal provisions, provided they comply with necessary development standards. “The housing schemes that have already been built should be regularized as soon as possible according to the law, so that people can get relief,” she said.
In a bid to eliminate bureaucratic hurdles, the Chief Minister directed the abolition of unnecessary No Objection Certificates (NOCs) that complicate the registration and approval of new housing societies. She also approved the formation of a high-level committee to develop a framework for regularization.
As part of a broader reform agenda, Sharif announced the digitization of Punjab’s housing sector, the first such move in the province’s history. She said a Housing Society Management System will be introduced to digitize approvals, ownership transfers, and fee payments.
“The entire approval and management process will be moved online. NOC fees will also be paid online after uploading the required documents,” she said.
The CM added that this system will also cover ongoing development and post-approval management of housing projects, aiming to increase transparency, reduce corruption, and enhance public access to real estate services.
The proposed measures, if implemented, are expected to reshape the housing landscape in Punjab, where unauthorized developments have surged in recent years, often leaving buyers vulnerable to fraud and legal uncertainty.
