The Punjab government has directed the concerned officials of three districts of the province — Kasur, Sheikhupura and Nankana Sahib — to transfer the records related to private housing schemes and land-use conversion to the Lahore Development Authority (LDA).
The directive was issued after the administrations of these three districts failed to comply with previous instructions and reminders regarding the matter.
Following the directive by the provincial government, the LDA has regained its authority to approve housing schemes and land-use conversion cases.
It should be noted that during the previous government of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), these powers were transferred to deputy commissioners through an ordinance.
In its 35th meeting on January 10, the caretaker government had allowed the LDA to perform its functions of land use and approval of private housing schemes within the Lahore division till the establishment of the elected local governments.
“Therefore, the decision of the cabinet shall be complied with and record pertaining to land use and private housing schemes be transferred to the LDA under intimation to this department,” the Local Government & Community Development Department ordered the administrators and chief officers of the defunct local governments in the Lahore division in a letter.
According to an official source within the LDA, despite the transfer of powers to the authority following the non-enactment of the April 2021 ordinance titled “Lahore Development Authority (Amendment) Ordinance-2021,” the LDA hasn’t received the record of land use and private housing schemes.
The source added that administrators continued to grant approvals to housing schemes and land use conversion cases unlawfully, despite being aware of the situation.
According to the source, the approval and development of housing schemes in the non-designated areas led to various civic and legal issues. He stated that the administrations of the three districts are yet to hand over the relevant record to LDA despite multiple reminders.