PESHAWAR: Provincial Inspection Team (PIT) has launched an inquiry against illegal activities of the housing societies in the provincial capital and other parts of the province.

In a letter addressed to secretary of forest, wildlife and environment department, PIT said that it was conducting an inquiry into illegal activities of Bahria Town, Citi, Nova and other housing societies on the directions of chief secretary of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

It said that the relevant staff of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had been asked to visit the office of PIT on October 4 along with the subject inquiry for hearing and recording statement regarding no-objections certificates (NOCs) issued to KP Enclave/Nova Citi Housing Society and Minerat-9 Housing Society.

“This may be treated on top priority basis being time bound,” said the letter.

Govt has also warned people of possible fraud over investment in housing schemes

Earlier on September 13, the caretaker provincial government had announced that Chief Minister’s Inspection Team had been asked to launch an inquiry against housing societies operating without NOC.

The caretaker government had also warned people of “possible” fraud over investment in private housing projects launched in the province without obtaining NOC from the relevant authorities.

“Our probe has revealed that Citi Housing and Bahria Town in Peshawar don’t have NOC or other relevant legal documents to operate, but they are still selling forms. People should invest their hard-earned money only in those housing schemes, which

have NOC,” the provincial caretaker minister for information, Feroze Jamal Shah Kakakhel, had told a presser last month.

He had said that authorities had closed some offices of those housing schemes, while the closure of the rest would happen soon.

On September 23, Mathra police station booked three directors of Bahria Town Housing Society for allegedly violating Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Local Government Act, 2013, and Local Government Rules, 2021.

Mathra police registered FIR against Malik Riaz Hussain, the owner of the housing society, and two other directors including Hina Malik and Hamid Riaz, following a complaint filed by town municipal administration under sections 419, 420, 425, 463, 468 and 471 of Pakistan Penal Code.

The FIR stated that TMA had written a letter to Peshawar deputy commissioner for taking legal action against Bahria Housing Society as it had not obtained NOC from Mathra TMA.

It said that according to Mathra TMA the housing society violated KP Local Government [Private Housing Scheme Management and Regulation] Rules, 2021 and the section 66 of KP Local Government Act, 2013.

Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2023