Cadastral mapping vital for eliminating encroachment: PM Imran Khan

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday observed that cadastral mapping of the country was important to eliminate encroachments and improve land revenues.

“Cadastral mapping important for eliminating encroachments and enhancing land revenues. Provinces should expedite legislation for stopping land-use changes and protection of green spaces,” said the PM in a meeting of the National Coordination Committee (NCC) on Housing, Construction and Development.

250,000 employment opportunities created so far since construction activities started under Naya Pakistan Housing program : PM

— Prime Minister's Office, Pakistan (@PakPMO) October 14, 2021

The PM shared that “250,000 employment opportunities” have been created due to the construction activities that were started under the Naya Pakistan Housing Programme.

While receiving a briefing from Surveyor General of Pakistan Maj Gen Shahid Pervez, the Prime Minister remarked that cadastral Mapping would help in the development of an authentic land record database.

“It would help in clearly identifying demarcation of land and thereby eliminate illegal encroachments,” added the PM. The authentic database would also contribute towards enhancing revenues received from lands, said the PM.

The PM also told officials that “land-use changes” need to be checked so the government can identify where green vegetation areas are being converted to urban projects.

He advised all the provincial and AJK Governments to expedite legislation to put a stop to land-use changes.

“Protection of green spaces and agricultural lands is essential for environmental considerations and to safeguard food security. However, construction projects would be allowed under regulations,” said PM Imran.

The NCC meeting was told that under Phase-I of the mapping exercise, 90 % digitisation of state lands was completed in Punjab, 96% in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 50% in Balochistan.

Chairman CDA informed that with the help of cadastral maps, the authority has started imposing fines on encroachers. The amount collected is being used for compensation of general masses who were defrauded by illegal housing societies, he explained.

The NCC meeting was attended by federal minister Fawad Chaudhry, state minister Farrukh Habib, SAPMs Shahbaz Gill, Malik Amin Aslam, Punjab’s Local Government Minister Mian Mehmood ur Rasheed, MNA Aftab Siddiqui, Chairman Naya Pakistan Housing and Development Authority Lt Gen (R) Anwar Ali Haider, FBR chairman, surveyor general of Pakistan, and senior officers.

Chief Secretaries of Punjab, Balochistan, Sindh and AJK; and additional chief secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, deputy governor State Bank of Pakistan and chief secretary Gilgit Baltistan joined the meeting via video link.