Over 100 illegal housing societies build on agricultural land in KP

PESHAWAR: As many as 156 illegal housing societies have been set up across Peshawar - 70% of which are established on agricultural land, The News reported Friday.

They threaten food security in the district and violate a Supreme Court ruling banning allotment of agricultural land for housing societies. Prime Minister Imran Khan had also directed government to not build housing societies on agricultural lands. 

Peshawar Development Authority (PDA) documents revealed that the housing societies were set up sans approval or NOC, and the owners failed to fulfil legal requirements. It said no housing society has provided facilities to the plot owners and residents in accordance with the law and greenbelts have been converted into residential plots. 

PDA sources told The News that some officials of government departments and police were in involved buying, selling and transfer of land. 

Speaking on condition of anonymity, an official said all housing societies have to get a regular NOC from the government before starting their projects on agricultural land, adding that housing projects on non-productive and barren lands are preferred to reduce pressure on agricultural lands. 

"The conversion of agricultural and cultivable lands into housing societies was a big challenge," he added.

PDA maintains that it has sent several notices to owners and developers, and approached KP Police as well but "no action has been taken" and only "one or two cases registered".

But Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan said "strict action" will be taken against those responsible. He said his government would stop land transfers of all illegal societies and lamented that unplanned expansion of the provincial capital. 

Illegal housing societies

Meanwhile, NAB KP has taken cognisance of Canal View, Al-Haram Model, Al Massa Model Town, Professor Model Town 2, New City Homes, Nimra Town and the inquiry is underway.

Data shows that the 156 societies were illegally established in Peshawar include City Oasis, Peshawar City Residencia, Green Homes, Madina Residencia Phase-II, New Officers Housing Society, Tasneem Garden, Haji Tariq Housing Scheme, Madina Colony, Green cottages, Faisal Town, Cornche Enclave, Galaxy Housing Scheme, Khyber Killi, Canal View, Peshawar Enclave, Al-Haram Green, Al-Haram Model Town, Al-Massa Model Town, Professor Model Town-II, Officer Housing Scheme-II, University Garden, New City Homes, executive lodges Arbab Sabaz Ali Khan Town, New Qurtaba Model Town, Old Qurtaba Model Town, Shams-ul-Qamar Colony, Peshawar Garden, Al-Moeez Homes-III, Shami Road Garden, Rauf Abad Gate 1 to 5, Apna Ghar Block-B Gulbahar-6, Hasham Babar town, Gulshan-e-Peshawar, Afridi Town, New Muslim City-3, Basher Bagh, Education Employees Foundation (EEF), Al-Madina Colony, Ozair Colony, Mehmood Khan Plotting, Gul Residencia, Gulistan Colony, Arbab cottages, Omul Qura Garden, Arfah Town, Mian Abdul Wali Shah Town, Sufian Gardens (City Oasis Phase-II), Haji Abad Town, Hamza Garden, Shah Pur Homes, Haji Gul Plots, Fahim Colony, Haji Naeem Colony, Overseas Pakistani Foundation (OPF), Malik Liaquat Abad, Asad Regi Enclave, Haji Sahibzada Town, Gulshan-E-Mehmood Colony, Chamkanni Homes, Arbab Umar Garden, M.Owais & Sajid Plotting, Khalil Garden, Arbab Yaseen Town, Nimra Town, Abbas Colony, Al-Hamra Town, United Business Complex & Housing Society, Shah Colony, Rehman House, Gulshan Abad, Naeem town, Pasban Town, Baba Town, Zia Villas, Umar colony, Peshawar Model Colony, Wajid Model Colony-II, Garden Villas, Ka Ka Khel Town, Mian Abdul Wali Shah Colony No.1&2, New Musa Khel Property Ploting, Malik Jan Abad, Madina Samar Bagh, Amin Villas Phase-II, New Dir Colony, Office Housing Society, Malik Saad Colony, Dr.Taj Muhammad Plotting, Farahan Colony (Extension), Green Homes, officers homes, Sherpao Colony, khan colony No.3, Faisal Colony, Fareed Colony, Pak Garden, Khyber City, Nobhar City, Shah Jee homes, Umar khitab Colony, Shahbaz Town, Ibrar colony, Saeed Colony, Palm City Garden, Khazana Greens, Hamad Colony, Faizan Ahmad Town, Kaniza Colony, Saeed colony, Al-Khaleej Town, Arzo colony, Shahram Gardens, Peshawar Gateway Town, Doctors Colony, Hamza colony, Dr, Taj Muhammad Plotting-II, Saif Town, Rehman Colony, Al-Moeez-II, Doctors colony Northern by Pass, Jan Alam Darmangi Garden, Khyber town, Qazi Mustaqeem, Abu-Bakkar sudais Colony, Insaf property dealer ploting, Madina colony, Gulshan-i-Tarnab Housing Scheme, Bacha Khan Town, Muhammad Colony, Abdullah Colony, Nasir Khan Colony, Chitral Vally, Northern City Peshawar, Al-Hajj Garden, Asif Colony, Anas Colony, Doctors Colony Naguman, Ali Villas Extension, Peshawar Smart City, Shah Orchard, BA Gardens, Warsak Green Farm Houses, Dr.Taj Muhammad Plotting, Al-Madina Colony, Muhammad Wali Plotting, Dar-us-Salam Homes, Haji Sameen Plotting, Safia Society, Arbab Jamil Plotting, Hassan colony, Khyber Property Dealer Plotting, Sudais Villas, Umar Zubair colony, Peer Asmatullah Plotting, Malik Abad colony.