FIA forensic audit; 295 housing schemes in KP declared illegal

Peshawar: After completion a forensic audit of housing schemes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Federal Investigation Agency has declared 295 housing schemes illegal, reported a news source. The forensic audit was carried out on the orders of Supreme Court of Pakistan issued back in 2017.

Reportedly, with the help of officials representing various public departments, the developers of these housing societies sold residential plots worth billions of rupees without having acquired an NOC from the competent authority. A huge number of people have invested amounts worth billions of rupees in these projects.

The report also revealed that in some cities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa including Peshawar, developers of a few societies don’t even have related documents of land ownership. Furthermore, only 36 cooperative housing societies have been registered, while the number of registered private housing schemes stands at 43. In the societies breaching building bylaws and operating without an NOC, land hasn’t been reserved for civic facilities such as community halls, mosques, offices, greenbelts and graveyards.

The report on this forensic audit, which has been conducted for the first time in the history of Pakistan, is yet to be presented before the Supreme Court. The apex court is to decide for the future of these societies.

The news source further revealed that National Accountability Bureau (NAB) also carried out an operation against 17 illegal housing societies on complaints submitted by the affectees. The bureau has also arrested 8 developers of these illegal housing schemes. According to NAB’s investigation, people have been looted of PKR 1.18 billion by these developers. As per the Peshawar Development Authority rules, these developers will be required to pay PKR 5 million as fine or serve in jail for three years or do both.

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