Peshawar Division

Peshawar | ReNews Pakistan
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has developed a digital State Land Management System (SLMS) to consolidate government land records and address major gaps in the management, leasing and protection of state-owned land across the province.
The system will bring provincial state land records onto a single searchable digital platform, creating a central repository aimed at improving record management, transparency and oversight of government-owned land.
The initiative was discussed during a comprehensive briefing organised by NAB KP on land revenue matters, the responsibilities of revenue authorities and the legal and administrative framework governing the leasing and management of state land in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
NAB Chairman Lt Gen (Retd.) Nazir Ahmed attended the session virtually, while Prosecutor General Accountability Syed Ihtesham Qadir Shah and KP Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah participated in person. Senior officials from NAB, the provincial administration, government departments and revenue authorities also attended.
NAB KP Director General Naveed Haider Zahid said the bureau was pursuing a three-pronged strategy focused on awareness, prevention and enforcement. He said the NAB chairman had established a dedicated Land Directorate in 2025 to address the usurpation, illegal allotment and fraudulent transfer of state assets.
According to NAB, its efforts resulted in the retrieval of 2.98 million acres of state land nationwide, valued at Rs5.976 trillion, during 2025, while recovery of additional state land is continuing in 2026.
Record discrepancies expose gaps in state land management
During its assessment in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, NAB identified significant discrepancies between state land records maintained by deputy commissioners and various government departments. The bureau attributed the inconsistencies partly to the absence of a centralised repository containing comprehensive records of government land.
NAB also highlighted uncertainty regarding departmental rights to use state land, along with cases involving unauthorised leases, mortgages and occupation of government land without approval from the Board of Revenue.
The newly developed SLMS is intended to address these gaps by bringing provincial state land records together on one searchable platform, allowing authorities to access and verify information more efficiently.
The briefing also examined the legal framework governing land revenue matters in the province. Adviser to the NAB Chairman on Land Matters Ahmed Ali Zafar discussed the functions and powers of revenue officers, the jurisdiction of civil courts in revenue matters and legal ambiguities concerning the discretionary powers of provincial and local governments in dealing with state land.
NAB Director General Operations Amjad Majeed Aulakh presented findings from a study on land leasing in KP, identifying weaknesses in the existing system and proposing measures to improve transparency, institutional oversight and management of state land leases.
Prosecutor General NAB Syed Ihtesham Qadir Shah reviewed relevant judgments of superior courts concerning the responsibilities of land revenue authorities. He stressed that state land constitutes a public trust and must be protected through compliance with legal and judicial requirements.
KP Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah said greater cooperation between NAB and the provincial administration could strengthen mechanisms for identifying, retrieving and protecting state land. He said recommendations emerging from the session could also help in drafting and reviewing legislation aimed at addressing existing legal and administrative gaps.
In his concluding remarks, the NAB chairman called for coordinated institutional efforts to identify, protect and recover state land and strengthen systems governing public resources. He directed officials to exercise their powers strictly within the law and called for a comprehensive roadmap to translate the recommendations of the session into practical measures.
The session concluded with an emphasis on stronger coordination between NAB and the provincial administration to improve governance, safeguard public land and strengthen the overall management of state-owned assets in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Peshawar | ReNews Pakistan
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has approved a series of measures aimed at regulating unregistered and illegal housing schemes, streamlining building approvals and curbing unauthorised construction across the province.
Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi approved the proposed amendments to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Housing Schemes Regulations 2024 during a meeting of the council of the Land Use and Building Control Authority (LUBCA).
The chief minister directed authorities to expedite the process of determining the legal status of unapproved and illegal housing schemes and ordered that a specific cut-off date be fixed for unregistered schemes to submit their applications for registration.
Under the proposed mechanism, housing schemes that fail to submit their applications within the prescribed period or do not fulfil the required legal conditions will face action under the law.
The chief minister said bringing unregistered housing schemes into the legal framework was a key objective of expanding the housing regulations.
The meeting also focused on improving the system for approving building plans. Afridi directed LUBCA to develop a centralised mechanism for approval of building plans for development authorities across the province, with the Peshawar Development Authority (PDA) excluded from the proposed arrangement.
Officials have been asked to prepare a final roadmap within two weeks regarding either the integration of development authorities or the establishment of a centralised approval system.
The chief minister said an integrated and effective mechanism was necessary to improve the performance of development authorities and promote transparency in the approval process.
The meeting also considered a proposal to create 21 new posts to strengthen LUBCA's operational capacity.
Officials briefed the council on the proposed enlistment and renewal fee structure for housing schemes, as well as the introduction of a uniform debris fee. The council gave in-principle approval to the proposed fee structure and debris charges.
A proposal to exempt residential building plans covering up to five marlas from the debris fee was also discussed. The chief minister directed that the matter be referred to the Finance Committee for further consideration.
The existing revenue-sharing arrangement between LUBCA and Tehsil Municipal Administrations (TMAs) will remain unchanged. Under the current formula, LUBCA receives 25 percent of the revenue, while the remaining 75 percent goes to the TMAs.
The council also approved LUBCA's revised budget for the fiscal year 2025-26 and its estimated budget for 2026-27. A Finance Committee was also constituted to provide recommendations on matters involving financial implications.
Afridi directed authorities to simultaneously focus on preventing illegal construction, promoting sustainable development and strengthening TMAs. He stressed the need for effective enforcement of relevant laws and stronger measures to achieve the intended objectives.
The measures are expected to affect the regulatory process for housing schemes across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, particularly those operating without registration or approval. However, the government's move represents a process for bringing eligible schemes into the legal framework; it does not mean that all existing unregistered or illegal schemes have automatically been regularised.

Peshawar | ReNews Pakistan
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Population Welfare Department has reviewed progress on its digitalization and monitoring framework as part of efforts to modernize administrative operations, improve field supervision and enhance the delivery of public services across the province.
A high level meeting on the department’s digital systems was held in Peshawar under the chairmanship of Special Assistant to the Chief Minister (SACM) for Population Welfare Tufail Anjum. Senior officials, including the Secretary Population Welfare, Director General, Director PME, Demographer and representatives from the Research and IT teams, participated in the meeting.
During the session, the Research and IT Team presented a detailed briefing on ongoing digital transformation initiatives within the department. Officials were informed that nearly 90 percent of departmental activities and office-related processes had already been shifted to digital platforms.
The meeting reviewed existing digital systems being used across different sections of the department and discussed measures to further integrate technology into administrative and field operations.
A major focus of the discussion was the development of an effective monitoring mechanism for field activities, particularly the attendance and performance of staff working at Service Delivery Points (SDPs). Officials highlighted the need for a transparent and reliable system that could provide real-time information regarding field operations.
Speaking at the meeting, SACM Tufail Anjum emphasized that digitalization must be strengthened and expanded in line with modern administrative requirements. He said technology based monitoring systems were essential for improving accountability, transparency and efficiency.
He directed officials to explore the development of a mobile-based attendance and field monitoring application or the adoption of an already available suitable system. Under the proposed mechanism, field staff would be able to record attendance through mobile devices while carrying out their duties.
According to officials, the digital monitoring framework would allow senior officers to receive timely updates about staff presence, field activities and service delivery performance, enabling better supervision and decision-making.
The initiative also carries wider implications for urban planning and public infrastructure management, as accurate population data and improved monitoring systems can help government departments design more effective development strategies, including housing, community facilities and regional planning projects.
The meeting concluded with an emphasis on creating a practical, transparent and technology-driven monitoring system that could improve operational efficiency and strengthen public service delivery throughout Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.