Punjab Province

Lahore | ReNews Pakistan
The Punjab government has decided to conduct a modern digital property survey after 12 years to curb property tax evasion, improve transparency in the tax system and bring more properties into the tax net.
According to officials, the survey will be carried out with the support of the Urban Unit, using Punjab Land Records Authority (PLRA) data and Geographic Information System (GIS) technology. The initiative aims to accurately identify taxable and non taxable units, digitally map properties and verify existing tax records.
Officials said more than 900,000 units in Lahore and over 2.5 million units across Punjab are currently paying property tax. However, the province has records of more than 4.5 million taxable and non taxable units, indicating the need for a comprehensive review and update of property tax records.
Under the plan, the digital survey will begin this month as a pilot project from Lahore’s Zone 13. After reviewing the results of the pilot and ensuring the availability of funds, the survey will be expanded in phases to other districts of Punjab.
Officials said the digital survey would help prevent property tax evasion, identify unregistered and newly constructed taxable units, and improve revenue collection. The move is also expected to strengthen transparency in the provincial tax system and provide additional financial resources for public services.
The Punjab government has set a property tax target of Rs 42 billion for the fiscal year 2026 27. Officials believe the digital survey will play a key role in achieving this target and laying the foundation for a more efficient, transparent and technology driven property tax system.

Lahore | ReNews Pakistan
The Government of Punjab has formally issued a notification introducing a new fee structure for land records and revenue related services provided to overseas Pakistanis. According to the notification, the revised fees for several services of the Punjab Land Records Authority (PLRA), the Revenue Courts Management System, and e registration have come into immediate effect.
According to the official statement, the new fee structure aims to provide overseas Pakistanis with modern, transparent, and faster services, strengthen the land record system, and promote the use of digital facilities. Officials said the initiative would help Pakistanis living abroad complete various legal and administrative matters related to land without having to travel to Pakistan.
Under the notification, a fee of $100 has been fixed for local commission services through e-registration at Pakistani embassies and foreign missions abroad. The fee will be charged in cases where overseas Pakistanis complete legal proceedings through the e-registration system.
Officials said the new fees for various PLRA services and the Revenue Courts Management System have also become effective with the issuance of the notification, while the relevant institutions have been directed to ensure full implementation of the revised fee structure.
Experts believe that strengthening digital land management and the e-registration system will make property transactions, record verification, and legal procedures easier, more transparent, and faster for overseas Pakistanis, which is also expected to improve the investment climate.

Lahore | ReNews Pakistan
Following the Punjab government’s decision to make the Green Property Certificate (GPC) mandatory from July 1, 2026, for the sale and purchase of property, transfer of ownership, mortgage, gift deeds and other real estate transactions, a number of citizens, property owners and real estate stakeholders have expressed serious reservations over the practical implementation of the new system.
They say the strict conditions, multiple verification stages and repeated visits to different offices have made the process of obtaining the certificate extremely difficult, causing delays in property transactions at several places.
According to sources, the issuance of a Green Property Certificate does not merely require ownership documents. Applicants are also required to go through various stages along with two witnesses. In the first phase, verification is conducted before a surveyor, followed by scrutiny by a GIS manager and further processing at the land record centre.
Citizens say taking two witnesses repeatedly to different offices is not only time consuming but, in many cases, practically impossible.
People associated with the real estate sector say that if either the applicant or the witnesses are unavailable at any stage, the entire process may have to be restarted. This not only delays the issuance of the certificate but also affects sale and purchase agreements. They add that the situation has created uncertainty in the market, with investors also adopting a wait and see approach.
On the other hand, the Punjab government and the Punjab Land Record Authority (PLRA) maintain that the Green Property Certificate is aimed at making land records secure, transparent and digital, while preventing fake transfers, bogus ownership documents and illegal occupation of land.
Under the new system, the traditional ownership document is being replaced with a verified certificate containing comprehensive confirmation of ownership, legal status, possession and other relevant details.
Officials say the new mechanism will make property transactions more reliable through digital verification, geographic location data through GIS, updated records and secure data systems, helping curb fraud, forged documents and double sales.
Experts say the core idea behind the Green Property Certificate is an important step toward transparency and legal protection in the real estate sector. However, they add that its success will depend on how easy the procedure is made for ordinary citizens.
They suggest that unnecessary stages should be reduced, requirements related to witnesses should be made more practical and effective, and most of the verification process should be shifted online or completed at a single centre. This, they say, would not only reduce public difficulties but also ensure that property sale and purchase transactions continue in a faster and more efficient manner.