Lahore Division

Lahore | ReNews Pakistan
Acting on the directives of Lahore Development Authority Director General Tahir Farooq, the LDA Town Planning Wing launched a major operation against illegal commercial buildings and properties defaulting on commercial fees across the authority’s controlled area, sealing a total of 135 properties in different parts of Lahore.
According to the LDA, the operations were carried out in Gulberg, New Garden Town, Shadman, Canal Road, Poonch Road and Allama Iqbal Town. During the crackdown, 30 properties were sealed in Gulberg and Garden Town for unauthorized commercial use, while another 54 properties were sealed in Shadman, along Canal Road and on Poonch Road over illegal commercial activities and non-payment of commercial fees.
As part of a separate recovery operation, LDA teams sealed 51 additional properties in Allama Iqbal Town. Officials said the sealed premises included private schools, bakeries, beauty salons, hardware stores, cafés, restaurants, food outlets, pharmacies, grocery stores, electrical shops, estate offices, clinics, auto workshops, shops, offices and other commercial establishments.
The LDA said the operation was carried out under the supervision of Chief Town Planner One Asad uz Zaman, while multiple enforcement teams conducted simultaneous actions in different areas.
LDA Director General Tahir Farooq said indiscriminate action against unauthorized commercial use and commercial fee defaulters would continue. He directed the relevant officers to ensure strict enforcement of urban planning regulations and take legal action against all violators.

Lahore | ReNews Pakistan
The Lahore High Court has issued an important ruling on tenancy disputes, holding that a court must provide the opposing party at least 10 days under the law before beginning ex parte proceedings.
Justice Muzammil Akhtar Shabbir issued a 14 page detailed judgment and set aside the decisions of the rent tribunal and the appellate court against the petitioner.
The court observed that it was inappropriate to issue an ex parte ruling against a tenant or any other party without giving them a reasonable opportunity to present their defence.
The judgment stated that a delay in justice amounts to a denial of justice, but unnecessary haste in delivering justice can also undermine the judicial process.
The Lahore High Court made it clear that courts dealing with tenancy disputes must fully observe the legal time period and the principles of a fair hearing.
The court also declared the ruling a judicial precedent for future rent cases and ordered that the dispute should be treated as pending before the trial court.
The trial court was directed to provide both parties a full opportunity to present their cases and decide the matter on merit within four months.
The judgment is significant for both landlords and tenants, as courts will be required to fulfil the legal procedure before issuing an immediate ex parte ruling merely because one party is absent.

Lahore : ReNews Pakistan
Lahore Development Authority Director General Tahir Farooq visited various blocks of LDA Avenue One, the Citizen Facilitation Centre, an under construction park and Gosha e Mazdoor on Raiwind Road. During the visit, he reviewed ongoing development projects, public facilities and property related services and issued instructions to the relevant officials.
The LDA director general made a surprise inspection of the Avenue One Citizen Facilitation Centre and interacted directly with visitors to inquire about the services being provided and the problems they were facing.
He said the growing number of visitors at the centre and the increase in property transfer cases in LDA City reflected rising public confidence in the project.
Tahir Farooq stressed the timely processing of property transfers, building period applications and other public requests. He directed officials to ensure that property transfers in LDA City are completed within 24 hours.
He also instructed the director of Avenue One to provide all possible facilities to citizens and improve the overall service delivery system.
During the visit, the LDA director general also inspected an under construction park in H Block of Avenue One, where officials briefed him on the progress of the project.
According to the briefing, a modern park is being developed over 47 kanals under a sustainable development model. Construction work on a total of eight new parks in LDA Avenue One is also progressing rapidly.
Later, Tahir Farooq visited Gosha e Mazdoor on Raiwind Road and reviewed the facilities available there. He directed the relevant authorities to further improve the services being provided to workers.