Punjab Province

Lahore : ReNews Pakistan
Chief Executive Officer of the Central Business District Punjab (CBD Punjab), Imran Amin, has commended the authority's infrastructure resilience during the ongoing monsoon season and directed project teams to accelerate development work at CBD NSIT City, Pakistan's first and largest dedicated information technology city.
The directions were issued during a comprehensive inspection of several flagship CBD Punjab projects, including CBD Vertex, CBD Route 47, CBD Walk and CBD NSIT City. During the visit, the CEO reviewed construction progress, operational readiness, project quality standards and the effectiveness of monsoon preparedness measures implemented across the sites.
At CBD NSIT City, Amin instructed contractors to expedite development activities without compromising construction quality. He emphasised the importance of maintaining consistent engineering standards throughout the project and called for the expansion of landscaped green areas to support sustainable urban development. He also directed project managers to carefully plan working hours around adverse weather conditions to minimise delays while ensuring the safety and well being of workers during the monsoon season.
Reviewing progress at CBD Vertex, the CEO inspected ongoing finishing works, including façade tile installation and epoxy flooring. He instructed the project team to maintain strict quality control measures and ensure the timely completion of all remaining works according to the approved schedule.
CBD Punjab officials highlighted the successful performance of the authority's engineering and drainage infrastructure during recent heavy rains. According to the authority, CBD Route 47 remained fully operational and accessible to traffic despite receiving 263 millimetres of rainfall, while several other parts of Lahore experienced significant waterlogging. Officials described the performance as evidence of the effectiveness of the project's resilient engineering design and modern drainage systems.
Speaking during the visit, Imran Amin said CBD Punjab remains committed to delivering modern infrastructure capable of performing under challenging environmental conditions. He noted that the uninterrupted operation of Route 47 during intense monsoon rainfall reflected the authority's focus on quality construction, resilient engineering and sustainable urban planning.
Senior CBD Punjab officials, project consultants and contractors accompanied the CEO during the inspection and reviewed the progress of ongoing development activities aimed at strengthening Lahore's emerging central business district and technology hub.
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Rawalpindi : ReNews Pakistan
Property registrations for residential and commercial properties have officially resumed across Rawalpindi Division after remaining suspended for nearly a month, providing relief to buyers, sellers and the real estate sector. The registration process has restarted with the official valuation rates from the previous fiscal year remaining unchanged for 2026-27, while authorities continue to finalise updated administrative procedures.
Registrations in Rawalpindi city, cantonment and adjoining areas are now being processed through biometric verification and the government's online registration system. Authorities have made biometric authentication mandatory for both buyers and sellers to enhance transparency, reduce fraud and strengthen the security of property transactions. Officials have also confirmed that the upgraded online registration system is expected to become fully operational from Monday.
The decision to retain the existing official valuation rates has been welcomed by property dealers, who believe it will prevent an immediate increase in government-assessed property values. However, they caution that recent increases in advance tax, capital gains tax and registration-related fees will significantly raise the overall cost of property transactions.
According to estimates shared by property dealers, registration expenses for residential properties could increase by approximately Rs30,000 to Rs50,000, while commercial property transactions may become Rs50,000 to Rs125,000 more expensive depending on the property's value and applicable taxes.
Officials estimate that the month-long suspension of property registrations resulted in a government revenue loss of nearly Rs1.5 billion, highlighting the financial impact of the interruption on both public revenues and market activity.
Meanwhile, the Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control Department has not yet issued property tax bills for the 2026-27 fiscal year across the Rawalpindi Region. Although property tax rates have reportedly been increased by 10% to 15%, officials say the department cannot prepare and issue the bills until it formally receives the deputy commissioner's approved valuation rates.
Traditionally, these valuation rates are issued in early July. However, this year's approval process was delayed, and the revised rates had not reached the Excise Department by July 25. Officials now expect the documents to be received shortly, after which the preparation of property tax bills will require an additional 10 to 15 days.
As a result, property tax bills for residential and commercial properties in Rawalpindi city and cantonment areas are expected to be dispatched after August 14, allowing the department to complete the valuation-based assessment process.
The resumption of registrations is expected to restore confidence in the local property market after weeks of uncertainty. However, industry stakeholders remain concerned that higher taxation and transaction costs could discourage investment and reduce the volume of property sales during the current fiscal year.

Lahore : Riaz Hussain Re News Pakistan
The Lahore Development Authority (LDA) carried out a major citywide enforcement operation, sealing 81 illegally used commercial properties and demolishing multiple unauthorized structures.
As part of the crackdown on illegal commercial use, the LDA sealed 29 properties in Faisal Town and Gulberg, while another 34 properties were sealed in Samanabad and along Canal Road. During a recovery operation, an additional 18 properties were sealed in Allama Iqbal Town.
The sealed properties included private schools, bakeries, beauty salons, cafés, restaurants, food outlets, pharmacies, grocery stores, electrical shops, clinics, auto workshops, offices, and various retail outlets.
The operation was supervised by Chief Town Planner I Asad Uz Zaman and Chief Town Planner II Azhar Ali.
DG LDA Tahir Farooq stated that indiscriminate action against illegal commercial constructions, unauthorized commercial use, and properties defaulting on commercial fees will continue.