Pakistan being an agrarian country, land holds a great fascination for its people. Urbanisation has given further flip to this desire. Though the landed gentry, which once held the political reins of the country, now shares power with the urban class, land remains a major factor in the political economy of Pakistan. It is a big resource in the economy but has become a big curse as the desire to possess it to get-rich-quick has spawned much corruption in the land. Some 20 authorities exist in the country for urban development in the public sector and land mafia dominates the private housing development. Both are seen mired in sleaze and criminality.

In Islamabad, some personalities who make shadowy deals over lands are as well known as the politicians who grace the television screens each day.

As recent events involving the Supreme Court have also shown, some individuals acquire a nefarious reputation in this land business.... [Read more]

Bani Gala was the first private housing society, say CDA officials

A former Director, Lahore Development Authority (LDA), Abdul Rashid, said before 1975 there were very few private housing societies. [Read more]

The late Choudhry Abdul Haq Virk served in the federal government in 1967. He was allotted two plots of land of 500 sq yd each in Islamabad.

In those days, no buyers were interested in the newly developed capital and the then government of General Ayub Khan had made residential plots  mandatory for all serving employees of the federal government for which they paid from their monthly salaries.

With 10 children to feed, the allotment was nothing short of a disaster for Mr Virk. “Only after a few months of payments from his meager salary, my father decided to get rid of these plots,” said Mubarik Virk, narrating the story of his father. [Read More]

Housing society scams fall into different categories including  those which begin advertising for members without acquiring a consolidated chunk of land; those which end up selling more plots than are available in reality and those which violate the CDA approved plans which ensure amenities such as green areas. [Read More]

The last time the authority finished a residential sector was back in 1987.

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) is now synonymous with the government failure to provide for its people’s housing needs. Its last successful project was sector G-11 in 1987.

Take the case of sector E-12.

The project was launched in 1970s to provide around 5,000 housing units. Soon after the land acquisition began and sale of plots was announced in 1984.

However, nearly 30 years later, “The authority does not possess the land in sector E-12,” said a high ranking official of the authority who spoke on the condition of anonymity. CDA could not agree to the compensation with the original land owners. [Read More]