LAHORE: The provincial ombudsman has ordered the director general (DG) of the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) to inquire into the complaints of Al-Hafeez Gardens residents, take necessary action and report back within 90 days after the officer failed to act on repeated requests and reminders according to the law.
He issued the order on the complaints of residents of the housing society who alleged that the owners, in connivance with the LDA officials, sold public amenities and plots and was charging additional payments on gas supply, delayed infrastructure for the last 10 years, reduced roads size to carve out more plots and committed tax evasion.
According to the complaint, having signatures of over 100 residents, the owners of the scheme have been committing a series of violations of Private Housing Schemes’ Rules (2014) with impunity. According to their allegations, four blocks – all of a little less than 100 kanals – were approved against the rules, because at 100 kanal, the owners are legally bound to provide space for a graveyard.
The owners sold more than approved plots, reducing public amenities (mosque, waste management and roads) and did so while the residents were filing complaints with the LDA DG. Taxes and charges on the sale and purchase of plots are filling the pockets of the owners instead of the government. The residents were charged additional money under the head of gas supply against the law. The residents have repeatedly knocked on the door of the LDA DG but to no avail.
Complaints were filed by over 100 residents of the scheme; LDA says probe has been assigned
“The provincial ombudsman reviewed the case under Article 54 (2) of the Private Housing Schemes’ Rules 2014, amended in 2024, which says that under such circumstances, the Director General office – once intimated -- is supposed to nominate a seven-member committee, which would run the scheme for three years and resolve all these issues.
The record on file shows that the residents communicated their concerns to the office four times in the last four months of 2024. But nothing happened. This is a reprehensible act under the Punjab Ombudsman Act 1997. Thus, the DG is hereby directed to assign a senior officer to hold inquiry into the matter who should listen to complainants, scan the record, take necessary action and report back to this office within 90 days,” says the order.
A resident explains, what he calls, alleged greed of the owners, abetted by the LDA, saying that Ibrahim Block of the scheme has 173 approved plots but 250 plots are being sold on ground. Similarly, the Ismail Block has 208 LDA approved plots while 460 plots were being sold. “These additional plots are appearing by sale of public amenities plots, cut in road sizes and denial of graveyard land,” he says.
Responding on behalf of the LDA, Chief Metropolitan Planner Faisal Qureshi, says that the director concerned has been asked to inquire into the matter as ordered by the provincial ombudsman. “He will act as directed and submit his report, which would then be furnished to the ombudsman office,” he adds.
The LDA officials say the order of the provincial ombudsman will be fully complied with in letter and spirit, they claim.
Published in Dawn, August 25th, 2025