PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cabinet on Thursday approved the proposed KP Land Use and Building Control Authority Act, 2021, to check unplanned urbanisation and protect agricultural lands from illegal construction activities.

Chief Minister Mahmood Khan chaired the meeting, which was attended by the provincial ministers, chief secretary Dr Kazim Niaz, and administrative secretaries.

Special assistant to the chief minister for information and public relations Kamran Khan Bangash said in a video briefing that the cabinet discussed the KP Land Use and Building Control Authority Act, which was the first legislation of its kind in the country.

“The proposed legislation will help stem the tide of unplanned urbanisation and commercialisation of cities,” he said.

Mr Bangash said the proposed law would apply to all kinds of constructions and tell property builders about the purpose the land could be used for.

Master plans for six cities to be presented in first meeting of building control authority

He said the proposed legislation also provided for the land use and master planning of all districts and establishment of building control authorities.

“The enactment of the bill will not only end unplanned expansion of cities but will also add to the beauty of the cities.

Mr Bangash said the chief minister, who headed the provincial building control authority, had ordered the presentation of master plans for six cities in the first meeting of the authority.

The chief minister also ordered the completion of planning for land use in six major cities and master planning for 20 districts by Dec 2022. He decided to place the urban planning and policy unit of the planning and development department under the building control authority.

Mr Bangash said the proposed legislation on urban planning would ensure the beautification of cities and protection of the precious agricultural lands.

The cabinet also discussed the upcoming local body elections in the province.

The aide to the CM said the government would take up the local body polls issue with the Election Commission of Pakistan soon.

“We plan to hold the LG polls in phases after consultation with the ECP. Elections will be held for village and neighbourhood councils in the first phase and those for tehsil councils in the second,” he said.

Mr Bangash said a committee of the provincial cabinet would hold consultation with the ECP for the election schedule.

He said the cabinet also approved the proposed Waqf Properties (Amendment) Act, 2021, to discourage the lease and extension of the waqf property at throwaway prices.

“Previously, the leases of the auqaf department’s properties got extended automatically after expiry. The proposed law will end this discrepancy,” he said.

He said under the proposed legislation, the properties would be put up for lease through auctions and the practice would generate more money for the department.

Mr Bangash said the auqaf department had recovered 4,000 kanals of its land from encroachers and land grabbers in different parts of the province during the recent drive.

He said the cost of the recovered land was estimated to be around Rs5 billion.

“The chief minister directed all departments and divisional commissioners to expedite anti-encroachment drives. Their progress will be reviewed on a monthly basis,” he said.

The special assistant said the cabinet also approved the restoration of Schedule III of the Federal Levies Rules, 2013, and Schedule IV of Provincial Levies Rules, 2016.

He said the cabinet also approved the proposed Public Properties Amendment Act, 2021, in principle, whereas the Serena Hotel’s lease in the province had been extended for 30 years.

Mr Bangash said the rates of the lease would be determined by a special committee.

The cabinet also empowered the special committee to look in to other options as well. It approved the signing of the memorandum of understanding between the Chinese province of Sichuan and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police.

Published in Dawn, October 8th, 2021