PM Imran approves plan to digitize countrywide land records

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday declared the construction sector as an industry by giving an in-principle approval to the proposal.

The approval was given in a meeting attended by Special Assistant to PM on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, Chairman Board of Investment Syed Zubair Gillani, among others. 

Chairman Naya Pakistan Housing Society Lt Gen (R) Anwar Ali Hyder briefed the Prime Minister about steps being taken to address policy issues in this regard. 

Chairman NPHA Lt. Gen (R) Anwar Ali Hyder presented a short, medium and long-term road-map for improving Ease of Doing Business in the construction sector.

He informed the meeting that in the first phase, record of government land in all big cities would be digitalized, while in the long term, record of such land throughout the country would be digitalized. 

Chairman CDA briefed the prime minister regarding the launch of an Automated Client Service Centre in Islamabad.

He said the launching of such a service would not only provide ease to dwellers of the city, but it would also help control maladministration, corruption and other problems.

The prime minister told the meeting that providing ease of doing business to the business community was a top priority of the government.

He said the government was focused on the abolishment of unnecessary permissions and other paperwork in the construction of buildings.

PM Imran said the condition of taking permission from the Civil Aviation Authority regarding construction of high rise buildings in big cities had already been abolished. 

The prime minister said that the establishment of land courts would sufficiently help resolve the problems regarding land.