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CategoriesNews Developments Property Real Estate Urban Developments & Planning

CDA Directs Housing Sponsors to Display Approved Layout Plans, Warns of NAB Action

ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has issued a formal directive to all sponsors of private housing schemes and projects in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), requiring them to transparently display approved layout plans amid growing concerns about public deception in the housing sector.

The notice, issued by the Planning Wing under reference No. CDA/PLW/DG-SP/General/2026/280 and signed by Ijaz Ahmad Sheikh, Director General (Spatial Planning) and Director Housing Societies, follows a communication from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Regional Bureau, Islamabad/Rawalpindi, dated May 11, 2026.

According to the CDA, NAB had observed that several housing sponsors and developers were misrepresenting the approval status of their schemes either by failing to display approved layout plans altogether or by presenting outdated and unapproved versions to prospective buyers.

The authority noted that such practices create a false impression of legal standing, mislead the public, and result in financial loss and hardship.

To curb the trend, the CDA has directed all housing societies to upload and regularly update their approved layout plans on official websites and to prominently display these plans, measuring at least 7×5 feet, at reception areas of project sites and booking offices, accompanied by a QR code linking to verified project information.

The directive further invokes Clause-40 of the 2023 Regulation for Planning and Development of Private Housing Schemes, requiring that all allotment letters be routed through a CDA-linked digital platform and vetted by authorised officials before being deemed valid.

Housing societies have ten days to submit compliance reports with supporting evidence; otherwise, the matter will be referred to NAB for potential legal action. The notice has also been circulated to utility providers, including IESCO and SNGPL, and to regulatory bodies such as PEMRA and SECP, to ensure coordinated enforcement across the sector.

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CategoriesNews Developments Economy Property Urban Developments & Planning

SBP Boosts Home Financing Access With Revised 90% LTV Rule

 ISLAMABAD: The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has issued a revised regulatory framework for housing finance, allowing banks and development finance institutions (DFIs) to finance up to 90 percent of a property’s value, up from previous limits under earlier circulars. The new regulations, which took effect immediately upon issuance, supersede several circulars issued between 2019 and 2021, and the central bank has directed all banks and DFIs to ensure strict compliance.

Under the updated rules, the maximum loan-to-value ratio has been set at 90:10, meaning eligible borrowers can secure financing covering up to 90 percent of a property’s assessed value. 

Housing finance may be extended for a range of purposes, including purchasing a house, apartment, or plot; constructing on an already-owned plot; renovating or expanding an existing home; and installing renewable energy systems within housing units. 

The maximum repayment tenor for standard housing finance is fixed at 30 years, while renewable energy financing has a shorter maximum tenor of 10 years.

To safeguard borrowers from over-leveraging, the SBP has capped total monthly loan repayments, including the proposed housing finance and any other consumer loans, at 65 percent of a borrower’s net disposable income. 

Banks and DFIs must also obtain updated credit information reports through the State Bank’s Electronic Credit Information Bureau or a licensed private credit bureau, with approved proxy models available to assess informal income where applicable.

Additional safeguards include mandatory documentation of property title and ownership, lenders’ formal acknowledgement of received documents, and a general requirement that financed properties be mortgaged in the lender’s favour. 

For loans up to Rs. 5 million, a lien supported by a Green Property Certificate may serve as sufficient security. The framework also mandates comprehensive insurance or Takaful coverage equal to the outstanding finance amount, and lenders must clearly disclose coverage terms and charges to borrowers.

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CategoriesNews Budget Developments Economy Property Towers Urban Developments & Planning

LDA’s Rs88.6bn Budget for FY27 Approved Amid Record Revenue Growth

LAHORE: The Lahore Development Authority‘s governing body has approved an Rs88.613 billion budget for LDA and the Traffic Engineering and Planning Agency (TEPA) for the 2026-27 fiscal year, setting a revenue target of Rs47 billion. The decision was made during a meeting chaired by LDA Vice Chairman Mian Marghub Ahmed, with senior officials from housing, finance, local government and WASA departments in attendance.

Under the approved budget, Rs10 billion sourced through a Punjab government loan has been earmarked for structural road projects, while Rs6.3 billion will fund Annual Development Programme schemes.

Development work in LDA City has been allocated Rs12.5 billion, with a further Rs13.5 billion set aside for sustainable development and urban regeneration initiatives. LDA Avenue 1 will receive Rs4 billion, and TEPA has been granted a separate Rs3.5 billion budget alongside amendments to existing building and zoning regulations.

On the revenue side, the authority has set targets of Rs17 billion from town planning activities and Rs19.2 billion from property sales and allotments, with LDA City expected to contribute Rs15 billion of that figure.

The governing body also greenlit several new initiatives, including a pilot maintenance-charge scheme for residential and commercial properties in LDA Avenue 1, Jubilee Town and LDA Enclave, with services offered free for an initial two-month period.

Additionally, officials approved plans to develop commercial plots on 118 kanals along Ferozepur Road near Arfa Karim Tower for a proposed technology park, and allocated Rs100 million toward a child-friendly city initiative undertaken in partnership with UNICEF. 

Other approvals included launching a new residential and commercial sector within LDA City and installing solar lighting across several city blocks. Officials credited the authority’s leadership for achieving a record Rs32 billion in revenue during the previous fiscal year, the highest total in LDA’s history.

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CategoriesNews Economy

Large-Scale Manufacturing Grows 4.98% in FY26, June Output Declines 3.48%

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Large Scale Manufacturing Industries (LSMI) sector recorded growth of 4.98 percent during FY26 (July-June 2025-26) compared to the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year, according to provisional data released under the Quantum Index of Manufacturing (QIM), based on the 2015-16 base year. The index reached 120.55 for the full fiscal year.

For June 2026, the QIM stood at 108.83, reflecting a year-on-year decline of 3.48 percent and a month-on-month contraction of 6.08 percent compared to May 2026.
Automobiles emerged as the strongest-performing sub-sector, registering growth of 57.77 percent for FY26 and 50.53 percent in June alone. Cement production rose 7.36 percent for the fiscal year and 9.76 percent in June, while petroleum products posted gains of 9.70 percent and 0.70 percent, respectively.

Cotton cloth output increased marginally by 0.17 percent for both the month and the year, while cotton yarn recorded cumulative growth of 1.00 percent despite a 1.85 percent decline in June.

Garments registered fiscal-year growth of 5.49 percent, notwithstanding a 13.45 percent contraction in June. Iron and steel production declined 7.84 percent for the year and 11.75 percent in June. Fertiliser output fell 1.99 percent cumulatively despite a marginal 0.83 percent rise in June.

Automobiles contributed the largest share to overall growth, adding 1.56 percentage points, followed by food (1.21), garments (0.91), petroleum products (0.72), cement (0.41) and electrical equipment (0.37). These gains were partially offset by declines in pharmaceuticals (-0.54), iron and steel products (-0.34), chemicals (-0.20) and textiles (-0.11).

Sectors posting fiscal-year growth included food, beverages, tobacco, wearing apparel, paper and board, coke and petroleum products, rubber products, non-metallic minerals, fabricated metal, computer and electronics products, electrical equipment, machinery, automobiles, other transport equipment and furniture, while textiles, leather, wood products, chemicals, fertilisers, pharmaceuticals and iron and steel products recorded declines.

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CategoriesNews Construction Developments Property Real Estate Urban Developments & Planning

Punjab Freezes Funds of 40 District Councils, Cancels 286 Rawalpindi Schemes

RAWALPINDI: The Punjab government has frozen the funds of all 40 district councils across the province, including the Rawalpindi District Council, following the rollout of a new local government system, a move that has led to the cancellation of all 286 small and large development schemes previously undertaken by the Rawalpindi council.

District council funds are now being transferred to the newly established tehsil councils, with contractors previously registered at the district level being re-registered with their respective tehsil councils. Only schemes in the final stages of completion have been permitted to continue; all other grants and development funds now fall under tehsil council control.

The Rawalpindi District Council had earlier approved a budget of Rs7.84 billion, of which nearly Rs3 billion was allocated for local-level grants and development schemes.

With district council operations wound down, tehsil councils and the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) are executing new water-supply and grant-funded projects in Rawalpindi. WASA has taken over water-supply schemes previously managed by the district council, including the Chahan Dam Water Supply Project. The project is designed to deliver 12 million gallons of clean water daily to a population of roughly one million.

Separately, under the Punjab chief minister’s Clean Drinking Water pilot initiative, pipeline networks and filtration plants have begun supplying clean drinking water to underdeveloped areas of Rawalpindi and Chaklala.

The restructuring marks one of the most significant administrative shake-ups of Punjab’s local government framework in recent years, shifting fiscal and developmental authority from district-level bodies to the newly empowered tehsil councils.

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CategoriesNews Construction Developments Economy Real Estate Urban Developments & Planning

Government Plans Construction Board, Extends Defect Liability Period to Three Years

ISLAMABAD: The federal government is finalising a comprehensive development package to overhaul Pakistan’s construction sector, centred on the creation of a Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) and an extension of the Defect Liability Period (DLP) from one year to three years.

Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Establishment Division Senator Ahad Khan Cheema chaired a high-level meeting attended by Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani, Federal Secretary for Housing and Works Captain (R) Mahmood, the Managing Director of the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority, and representatives of the Construction Association of Pakistan (CAP).

The proposed CIDB will combine development and regulatory functions, overseeing industry standards, contractors, and consultants through a joint public-private platform. Officials confirmed plans to raise the DLP further to five years over time, aiming to hold contractors accountable for long-term structural quality.

For the first time, consultants will face legal and financial accountability for design flaws under the new framework, a gap CAP representatives said had long undermined project quality, since only contractors currently face default penalties.

Officials are also evaluating a dedicated Construction Development Bank (CDB) to address financing and guarantee bottlenecks. Cheema has directed the Ministry of State for Finance to begin formal talks with the State Bank of Pakistan and the Pakistan Banks Association to assess its feasibility.

The broader package includes tax incentives and revised import-export policies designed to encourage technology adoption and strengthen local construction capacity. The CIDB framework will be submitted to the Prime Minister for final approval.

Cheema said the reforms aim to ensure public infrastructure investment is not compromised by substandard execution, positioning Pakistan’s construction sector to meet international regulatory and quality benchmarks.

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CategoriesNews Economy Tax

FBR Slashes Exporters’ Tax Rate From 2pc to 1.25pc

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has cut the tax rate applicable to exporters from 2 percent to 1.25 percent, as part of a wider tax relief package worth Rs361 billion extended during the current fiscal year, officials informed a Senate panel on Monday.

The disclosure was made during a briefing to the Senate Standing Committee on Finance’s subcommittee, chaired by Pakistan Peoples Party Senator Talha Mahmood. FBR representatives told the committee that the rate cut for exporters was intended to ease the cost of doing business and encourage greater investment, noting that the prime minister had separately approved Rs80 billion in dedicated relief for the export sector.

Addressing concerns that Pakistan’s tax burden could push multinational companies to scale back or exit the country, FBR officials maintained that prevailing rates were unlikely to trigger a significant outflow of investment, and indicated that further reductions would be considered in the years ahead.

The briefing also touched on broader reforms carried out in recent years, including reduced taxation for salaried individuals and the lowering or abolition of the super tax, which officials said had provided around Rs55 billion in relief. 

The corporate tax rate for non-banking companies currently stands at 29 percent, while a faceless assessment system has been introduced this year to limit direct interaction between taxpayers and tax officials.

Officials further told the committee that no businessperson had faced arrest or an FIR over tax matters during the year, and that dedicated committees had been set up to resolve concerns raised by the business community. Taxpayers, they added, could avoid audit proceedings by clearing dues, and filers now have the option to revise submitted returns.

Senator Mahmood, meanwhile, voiced displeasure over the finance secretary’s absence from the meeting, saying he would pursue a privilege motion and raise the matter with the prime minister.

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CategoriesNews Urban Developments & Planning

CDA Approves 37 Projects Covering 6.69 Million Sq Ft in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has approved 37 commercial and residential projects covering more than 6.69 million square feet across the Islamabad Capital Territory during 2026.

According to CDA, its Building and Housing Control Wing, through the Design Vetting Committee, reviewed 42 commercial projects during seven meetings held this year and granted approval to 37 of them.

The approved developments include commercial and apartment buildings, mixed-use projects, offices, hostels, five mosques and one school. Together, the projects comprise 721 commercial units, 1,981 residential flats and 362 office units, with a total covered area of 6,690,580 square feet.

CDA said it is also working to streamline procedures for building-plan approvals, completion certificates and other regulatory permissions in the housing sector.

The authority said these processes will continue to be implemented in accordance with the ICT Building Control Regulations 2023, with safety and security requirements remaining part of the approval framework.

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Source: Business Recorder

CategoriesNews Construction Developments Economy Property Property Laws Real Estate Investment

Cabinet Approves National Housing Policy 2026, Endorses New Cybersecurity Framework

ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, has approved the National Housing Policy 2026 together with a corresponding implementation plan. Under the policy, housing projects will be required to fully observe zoning regulations, with priority given to vertical construction to improve land-use efficiency. 

Officials noted the policy was drafted with input from local and international experts, along with federal, provincial, and development-sector stakeholders, aiming to ensure sustainable and quality housing nationwide. Energy-efficiency standards have also been folded into the policy framework to align new construction with environmental goals.

The cabinet was additionally briefed on the Apna Ghar housing scheme, revealing that banks have sanctioned loans worth Rs220 billion for prospective homeowners, of which more than Rs32 billion has already been disbursed.

In a separate move, the cabinet approved withdrawing Pakistan’s earlier notice to terminate its 1981 bilateral investment treaty with Sweden, based on a summary presented by the Board of Investment.

On the technology front, the Ministry of Information Technology introduced the draft Pakistan Information Security Framework 2026 (PISF 2026), developed under the CERT Rules 2023. The framework is designed to establish unified baseline cybersecurity standards with centralized oversight. The cabinet approved it as a key policy document and directed its timely implementation.

Further ratifications included proposed amendments to the Pakistan Oil Refining Policy 2023, aimed at upgrading refineries to strengthen energy supply, along with decisions made during recent Economic Coordination Committee and Cabinet Committee on Legislative Cases meetings.

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Source: DAWN

Regulate Evacuee Property Management
CategoriesNews Property

Sindh Government Moves to Regulate Evacuee Property Management

KARACHI: The Sindh government has moved to bring evacuee properties across the province under direct administrative control, following a decision approved by the Sindh Cabinet. Under the newly sanctioned framework, Deputy Commissioners in every district will be designated as administrators responsible for overseeing, protecting, and managing these properties at the local level.

Officials say the initiative is intended to strengthen governance over state assets that have long been entangled in legal and administrative disputes. By centralising oversight under district administrators, the provincial government hopes to curb illegal occupation, tighten record-keeping, and bring greater transparency to how such properties are handled.

Evacuee properties refer to land and buildings left behind by individuals who migrated during the 1947 Partition. Their management in Sindh currently falls under the Sindh Evacuee Trust Properties (Management and Disposal) Act, 2019, with additional oversight provided by a dedicated Member for Registration, Stamps and Evacuee Property within the Board of Revenue.

The decision comes amid heightened scrutiny of evacuee property disputes in Karachi, where several cases have drawn public and legal attention in recent months.

Among them, the Sindh High Court in June 2026 examined the disputed status of the Karachi Cotton Association’s historic building, a case that highlighted the need for clearer administrative control and more reliable property records.

Authorities believe empowering Deputy Commissioners as district-level custodians will improve coordination between provincial bodies and local administrations, accelerate decision-making, and reduce encroachment on state land.

The reform is also expected to create a more consistent, accountable system for managing properties that have historically suffered from fragmented oversight.

The provincial government is expected to release detailed implementation guidelines in the coming days, clarifying the specific powers and responsibilities assigned to the newly appointed administrators, as the reform moves from approval toward on-ground execution.

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