RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) on Monday issued notices to owners of three marketing companies asking them to stop advertisement of illegal housing schemes.

On directions of the RDA Director General Saif Anwar Jappa, the Metropolitan Planning and Traffic Engineering (MP&TE) Directorate has issued notices to three marketing companies including Sky Marketing, Ghafari Marketing and Wirasat.com for advertising illegal housing schemes.

According to an RDA spokesman, the director general of the authority said advertising housing schemes, which have not been given approval by the civic body was illegal under section 46 (1) of Punjab Development Authorities Private Housing Scheme Rules-2021 which states: “A sponsor shall not advertise sale of plots or housing units in print and electronic media or in any manner, without prior approval of authority.”

He said it was intimated to these companies that RDA only allows marketing and advertisement of housing schemes which get technical approval under section 24(3) the Punjab Development Authorities Private Housing Scheme Rules-2021 which states: “The marketing or advertisement and sale of plots shall be allowed after the payment of approval fee, penalty, if any, execution of mortgage and transfer deeds and incorporation of the same in revenue record, but the sponsor shall not be absolved of the responsibility to comply with the marketing requirements under any other law.”

He said that unless a project gets a no objection certificate (NOC) from RDA Rawalpindi, it cannot be declared as an approved or legal project. But unfortunately, the websites are misleading the general public and people are investing heavy amounts only seeking advertisements.

He said that the marketing of such projects gives the impression to the general public that the project is already approved and legal.

He said that advertising companies had been warned that they must not be part of illegal activities which may deceive people who then invest in illegal housing societies.

He said that the RDA DG Saif Anwar Jappa has issued directions for removal of all material related to illegal housing schemes.

Moreover, he said that legal status of the projects was easily accessible on the RDA website(www.rda.gop.pk)or it can be obtained directly from the RDA. In case of non-compliance, RDA reserves the right to initiate legal proceedings against anyone under the relevant law, he added.

Published in Dawn, January 24th, 2023