ECP's Directive Halts LDA from Granting NOCs to New Housing Societies

[LRE-Azan]

ECP's Directive Halts LDA from Granting NOCs to New Housing Societies

Lahore: In response to a letter from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) addressing concerns related to extensive land use in different districts of Punjab, the Metropolitan Planning Wing of the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) has suspended the issuance of No Objection Certificates (NOCs) to new housing societies within its jurisdiction. This development was reported in a leading newspaper on September 20.

Nadeem Akhtar Zaidi, the Chief Metropolitan Planner (CMP), clarified that this suspension of NOC issuance aligns with directives from the Housing Department, which conveyed the ECP's apprehensions. The letter also underscored the ECP's requirement for approval in cases of urgency. Additionally, the ECP's communication emphasized the caretaker government's role, emphasizing that its responsibility primarily involves managing routine operational crises rather than making substantial policy decisions.

Furthermore, the ECP expressed deep concern regarding the escalating trend of alterations in land usage initiated by the provincial government across various districts. The issuance of NOCs by deputy commissioners to multiple housing societies had begun to encroach upon critical green spaces and productive agricultural land. This unregulated expansion has the potential to result in disorderly and unplanned urban growth and raised concerns about potential corruption in specific regions, cautioned the ECP.