LAHORE – Thousands of property investors in Lahore may need to change buying and selling of plots as authorities move to end long-standing practice of trading on property files.
Lahore Development Authority (LDA) announced that from July 1, file-based property transactions will no longer be allowed in housing schemes operating under its jurisdiction. Instead, plot transfers in both public and private projects will only be carried out through Property Certificates issued under the Punjab Land Records Authority (PLRA) system.
The decision was finalized during meeting led by LDA Director General Tahir Farooq, attended by senior planning officials, representatives of private housing societies, ABAD, PLRA, and the Punjab Board of Revenue.
Housing schemes have been directed to shift their records to the PLRA’s Housing Societies Management System (HSMS) by June 30. Officials say the move aims to curb fraud, improve transparency, and give buyers greater confidence in property transactions.
Authorities have also warned that societies failing to adopt the digital system could face legal action. Under the new setup, housing schemes will be able to issue registrations and Green Certificates through an online portal, while every Property Certificate will carry a QR code allowing instant verification of ownership and property details.
The move comes after several major property-related controversies exposed drawbacks in file-trading process. Investigations in recent years revealed instances of forged records, missing files, and projects where the number of files sold exceeded the number of approved plots. In many cases, investors paid for properties that were never delivered, sparking complaints, legal battles, and regulatory scrutiny.
Officials believe transition to certificate-based digital system will help ensure that every property transaction is tied to authentic land records, reducing the risk of scams and increasing confidence in the real estate market.
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