A strange sight is emerging in a small corner of Lahore. In the area of Lahore’s Walton Cantonment Board, where development work has ground to a halt, roads languish broken and neglected, cleanliness is a daily challenge, and encroachments are a common sight, an unusual development has taken place.
Right off main Walton Road is Premier Villas. The little gated society has quietly and swiftly come alive. The area in which the housing society exists is not particularly big. In fact, most of the plots being sold (and yes, plots are being
Quietly and swiftly, a housing society has sprung up on a small piece of land bordering the Defence Housing Authority (DHA). Despite the surrounding chaos, plot buying and selling have already begun, and the society is selling plots ranging from 3 to 10 marlas at rates of Rs 20-22 lakhs per marla. How is this little parcel of land developing so quickly in an area of the city where land disputes and confusions have caused real estate development to slow down to all but a stop?
The reason is Seth Abid.
Premier Villas is being marketed and sold by dealers as a project of the legendary gold smuggler and Lahori property developer. And despite the fact that Seth had passed away more than three years ago in January 2021, his name carries enough weight that the society is selling plots. But who is behind it? After all, Seth Abid’s family is scattered after a series of tragic events. Premier Villas was a plan he had made a long time ago. Who is carrying it out now? It would seem that enterprising middleman and land managers are behind the project which is running with complete freedom.
Seth Abid’s inheritance
Seth Abid was once one of the richest men in the country, and rumoured to at one point be the single largest real estate property owner in Pakistan. But in the years following his death, his legacy seems to have fractured.
This publication has covered the late Seth in great detail on multiple occasions.
Read more: Love, financial fraud, smuggling and murder – the tragedy of Seth Abid’s family
Taking his start from a small trading family that migrated from India, Seth Abid got his start smuggling gold across Kasur from India and selling it in Lahore and Karachi. He eventually began smuggling from the Middle East through sea routes and eventually shifted his attention towards the property business, parking a lot of his money in major projects such as Eden Gardens and Eden Villas in Lahore.
Much of the land he acquired was around the region that is now DHA. As such, his property was valued highly and he ran many projects that were quite successful. He developed most of his land in his lifetime, but there are still significant parcels of it remaining.
The problem has been there was no clear heir to Seth Abid’s fortune upon his death. Sure, his family inherited his wealth but no single person emerged as a contender to take the place of Seth as head of the family and run the show. For many years Seth had been grooming his eldest son, Seth Ayaz Ahmed, to take over the family business. When he was gunned down in 2006, Seth Abid withdrew from public life and his business activities also slowed down. For a while it seemed his daughter Farha and her husband, Mazhar Rafiq, would be the successors. But in 2017, Mazhar Rafiq fled the country pending a NAB investigation after swindling a large number of people out of their savings. Five years later, Farha would be killed by her own son in a family dispute.
Which is why after his death, internal sources have informed Profit that most of Seth Abid’s land remains in the hands of his administrators. This lingering control over his properties adds a layer of complexity to his legacy, intertwining his name with both the opulence of his achievements and the unresolved affairs that continue to unfold.
Premier Villas — An old story
This story takes us back to the days when Lahore’s DHA was in its early stages of development. The surrounding areas were lush with villages and greenlands, a stark contrast to the urban sprawl we see today. This area, now known as Super Town and Rifle Range Road, was once famously called Korey Pind. Even now, the revenue records list this area as Mouza Kora.
In those days, there was a route that led into this area before one could enter DHA. Developers saw an opportunity here. They realised that this land, being so close to DHA, and easily accessible from Walton Road and DHA’s main boulevard, had great potential. They believed that selling land and starting housing projects in this vicinity would be relatively easy.
In this area, Eden Developers made their mark by establishing a housing society named Eden Cottages. They built two phases in the area once known as Kora Pind. However, what began as a promising venture soon turned controversial. According to records from the Mouza Koraa Patwari’s office, much of the land Eden Cottages occupied actually belonged to the Punjab Liquidation Board.
Eden Developers, in collusion with Patwaris and government officials, included this land in their housing project and sold it illegally. As is often the case, the higher authorities of the Liquidation Board only realised the gravity of the situation when it was too late, and they hurriedly obtained a stay order to halt further sales.
But by then, the damage was done. The land belonging to the Liquidation Board had already been sold. Among the plots on which Eden Cottages was built, about eleven Khasras were claimed to be owned by the Liquidation Board. Even today, transactions in this area are conducted through stamp papers, with no official Fard e Bai (land document issued by patwari for the sale of land by original owner) issued by the Patwari. This lack of legal documentation has resulted in significantly lower property prices in this area compared to its surroundings. While a ten-marla house in a non-disputed part of the area might cost around 30 million rupees, a similar house in Eden Cottages could be bought for half that price.
Seth Abid also made a bold move by purchasing a large tract of land in this area. His intentions, known only to him, seemed promising, but the advice he received before acquiring the land appeared flawed in hindsight. Undeterred, Seth Abid launched an ambitious housing project named Fort Villas. The first phase saw the construction of over two hundred homes of varying sizes, but the second phase never materialised. Instead, the land for Phase II remains vacant to this day.
The undeveloped land for Fort Villas Phase II is strategically connected to DHA, sparking rumors that DHA intended to buy this empty piece of land. This speculation perhaps explains why no further development was undertaken. Instead, the area was enclosed with a boundary wall and gate, left untouched. According to the Property agents of this area, this vacant land spans over fifty acres.
There were also speculations in the market that during Seth Abid’s lifetime, the Fort Villas administration sought to secure an access route through DHA for the second phase. However, DHA’s administration refused to grant passage through their blocks or roads, leaving the land in limbo. Consequently, the land remains empty, serving as a grazing ground for locals’ buffaloes, sheep, and goats.
In the midst of all the speculation, a few DHA officials, who requested anonymity, confirmed a long-standing rumour. They confirmed that Fort Villas’ management had indeed hoped to secure an access route through DHA’s W Block. However, the layout of W Block was meticulously designed to prevent any new pathways. If approximately a hundred homes were built on Fort Villas’ undeveloped land, and their residents began using the W Block route, it would create significant inconvenience for DHA residents.
Furthermore, these officials dismissed the market rumours that DHA intended to purchase the land or that there was any pressure on Fort Villas’ management from DHA regarding its acquisition. They explained that DHA had completed this phase a long time ago and had since moved on to new projects in different locations. The idea of buying such land to start a project with no clear structure or plan made no sense to them.
As the officials put it, DHA was focused on future developments, leaving the unresolved past of Fort Villas’ land in the shadows, with no intentions of revisiting it.
However, during that era (in the life of Seth Abid), when land prices were remarkably low and Seth Abid had ample financial resources, he decided to acquire another large tract of land near the Fort Villas project. It seemed like a promising investment at the time, given the affordability and potential for development.
However, this purchase proved to be less than wise. The crux of the issue lay in the main access route to this new piece of land. As per some officials of Patwar Khana, the only way to reach it was through a narrow bazaar adjacent to Walton Road. While vehicles could navigate this bazaar, they often did so with great difficulty. The narrow passage and the increasing congestion due to the rising population made the route far from ideal.
As a result, this access route became a significant drawback. The narrow, crowded bazaar did not offer the kind of appeal needed to attract buyers willing to pay a premium for plots on this land. Despite Seth Abid’s vision and financial clout, the challenging access and lack of allure meant that this piece of land failed to achieve the desired success. This is why the land has remained undeveloped for over three decades.
The trouble began when efforts were made to develop a housing society called Premier Villas on the land and put it up for sale. According to a local resident, the real problem started when a portion of the boundary wall of Eden Cottages was broken down to create an access route. The administration of Premier Villas then stationed their private security guards at this newly created entrance, effectively taking over the route by force. This new access point wasn’t a main road but merely a narrow street lined with houses.
The same resident told Profit, the administrative matters of Eden Cottages have historically been managed by a committee of local residents. Some years ago, during the lifetime of Seth Abid, a station commander approached the committee with a bold request. He wanted a portion of the boundary wall to be broken down to create an access route to a piece of land owned by Seth Abid.
The committee members were taken aback and strongly resisted the idea. They informed the station commander that the boundary wall had been constructed by the Walton Cantonment Board (WCB), making it untouchable by anyone. Despite the pressure, they stood their ground.
During this tense period, Seth Abid’s administration, through WCB officials, tried to sweeten the deal. They offered to repair and maintain the roads and improve the sewage system, ensuring a smoother living experience for the residents of Eden Cottages. It seemed like a fair trade, but the committee remained firm.
The residents of the street where the boundary wall would be breached had their own condition: they demanded two million rupees each as compensation. This was a price Seth Abid’s administration was unwilling to pay. The standoff resulted in a stalemate. The proposed deal fell through, and the ambitious plans to create an access route were shelved, leaving the boundary wall intact.
When inquiries were made to the WCB regarding the situation, the relevant officers proved evasive. They hid behind the guidelines of the Ministry of Defense, repeatedly claiming they were not authorised to provide any information. However, after persistent questioning, one officer agreed to share some details on the condition of anonymity.
According to this officer, the Walton Cantonment Board never constructed the boundary wall of Eden Cottages, nor were they aware of any deals involving it. Eden Cottages is a private society responsible for its own boundary wall. They built it themselves, and any decision to provide an access route was made solely by Eden Cottages’ administration.
Another officer shed more light on the situation, revealing that the current chairman of the Eden Cottages committee had granted the permission. There must have been terms agreed upon by both parties for this arrangement to proceed. Without the chairman’s consent, the Premier Villas administration would never have been able to secure an access route through Eden Cottages.
The current chairman of the Eden Cottages committee is Yasir Khan Niazi, whose father also served as the committee chairman during his lifetime. However, some residents of Eden Cottages claimed that the current chairman is self-appointed, having taken the position forcibly without any elections.
As things stand
Though Seth Abid is no longer with us, who is developing a housing society on his land? To uncover the details, Profit visited the sales office of this new development, situated right on the same land. A sales representative explained that the project was progressing swiftly.
“Only a few plots are left,” she said, “as many have already been sold or booked.”
Premier Villas, the name of this new housing society, boasts nearly 200 plots of various sizes. They are being sold at prices ranging from 2.2 million to 2.5 million rupees per marla. Beyond the residential plots, the society also plans for a park, a commercial plaza, and a mosque, aiming to create a self-sufficient community.
Curious about the access routes to these plots, Profit inquired further. The sales representative clarified, “The primary access route is from Walton Road. However, there will be two additional routes through Eden Cottages. One of these routes is already in place, and the second one is expected to be completed in the coming days.”
The promotional brochure for the society shows that both access routes are connected to the boundary wall of Eden Cottages. One access route had already been carved out by breaking through the boundary wall on Street 2 of Eden Cottages. The second route was planned to cut through Street 7, similarly linked to the same boundary wall.
What struck observers as particularly intriguing was the silence surrounding the transactions. Sales were being conducted with remarkable quietude. The promotional material did not name any developers, nor did it provide a website that might offer clues about who was behind the project.
Digging deeper, it was revealed by the same sales representative that the project was a collaborative effort. One of Seth Abid’s daughters and a private developer were selling the plots. The developer, a company named South Bay, had teamed up with BDL Company, which was represented by Seth Abid’s family, to bring this project to life.
Adding another layer to the tale, the brochure listed the location as Abid Hussain Road, Walton Road. Yet, the map inside showed two access routes through Eden Cottages in addition to the main Abid Hussain Road. The sales representative also proudly mentioned that Premier Villas had received approval from the Walton Cantonment Board.
The Walton Board officials remained tight-lipped about the situation, reluctant to provide clear answers. It was only after persistent questioning that one official, under the condition of anonymity, gave a rather evasive response. He explained that only societies registered under the Society Act are considered approved, meaning their layout plans and locations are formally sanctioned. However, if someone decides to plot their private land and sell the plots, there isn’t much the Walton Board can do. They can name their scheme anything they want. The official’s response left the registration status of the new society ambiguous.
This ambiguity, some in the property market argue, often misleads buyers into making poor decisions. They believe the Walton Board should clearly indicate the legal status of such projects on its official website. Instead, many illegal projects are openly marketed on Walton Board’s commercial sites through billboards and flex signs.
Although the land in question belongs to Seth Abid, none of his family members have publicly confirmed that they are selling it. This lack of transparency adds another layer of mystery. Interestingly, even many local property dealers are unaware of the buying and selling activities surrounding this land.
