WEBDESK: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has announced a major step towards solving the long-standing issue of illegal housing societies across the province. She chaired a high-level meeting where it was decided that a proper system will be introduced to regularize these schemes.
Maryam Nawaz said that thousands of people have been affected by illegal housing societies that took money from the public but failed to deliver plots. She said, “This is a great injustice to the people, especially the poor, who trusted these societies with their life savings.”
During the meeting, it was revealed that there are a total of 7,905 housing societies in Punjab, covering around 20 lakh kanal of land. Out of these, only 2,687 are approved, while over 5,100 are either illegal or still waiting for approval.
To address this issue, the Chief Minister directed officials to form a high level committee that will work on the regularisation of such housing societies. The committee will create a legal mechanism to bring these societies under official control, with the aim of protecting citizens from future scams.
Maryam Nawaz also questioned the role of some government departments in allowing these illegal societies to form. She said it is clear that there was negligence or even involvement from some officials. “Why were the authorities silent while these housing societies were being developed without approval?” she asked.
As a solution, she proposed giving a one-time amnesty to societies that are already built but not approved, so they can be brought into the legal system under strict conditions.
Housing Socities to Be Fully Digitised
In addition, the government has decided to digitise the entire housing societies approval and management process. A new online system will soon be launched where developers can apply for approvals and pay required fees digitally. Citizens will also be able to check the legal status of any society online before investing.
These steps are aimed at cleaning up the housing sector, increasing transparency, and restoring public trust. The regularisation and digitisation process is expected to offer major relief to those who have already invested in illegal or unapproved housing societies.
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