Pakistan’s National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has proposed a “digital one-click disclosure” system aimed at eliminating fraud and irregularities in the private housing and cooperative sector. The system would allow citizens to instantly verify the legal status of housing schemes, approved layout plans, and the existence of specific plots.
The initiative comes in response to widespread complaints from citizens who have lost substantial sums investing in non-existent plots, particularly in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, where over 90,000 people were reportedly affected.
NAB Rawalpindi has developed a four-point reform agenda to address these challenges and restore confidence in the housing sector.
Key features of the proposed reforms include the creation of a centralized online portal where all approved layout plans will be published, allowing the public to independently verify claims made by developers. Each approved plot would receive a secure allotment letter with a QR or barcode linked to an official database to prevent over-selling.
Additionally, every project would require an escrow account monitored by a third party to ensure public funds are spent solely on development work. Illegal sale of amenity plots would be treated as a criminal offense with strict penalties.
Under the new digital system, prospective buyers could, with a single click, confirm whether the plot being sold exists in official maps, whether the housing scheme is officially approved, and the current development status. All verified information would be available on a single government website.
A senior NAB official said the system would empower citizens and curb unscrupulous developers from making false promises. He emphasized that transparency would be enforced not only through regulations but also through technology accessible to anyone with a smartphone.
The reforms and implementation plans have been formally shared with the Ministry of Housing and Works, the Capital Development Authority (CDA), and Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA). NAB has also provided CDA with a 15-step procedure for establishing escrow accounts, which will work alongside the digital portal to ensure financial and developmental transparency.
Sources said these far-reaching reforms are expected to permanently address the problems of affected citizens and rebuild trust in Pakistan’s real estate sector, particularly after repeated complaints of developers absconding, abandoning projects, and causing significant financial losses.
