Metro53 - The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has proposed a new “Digital One-Click Disclosure” system that would enable citizens to instantly verify the legal status of any housing scheme, its approved layout plan, and the existence of a specific plot.
In response to widespread fraud involving private housing and cooperative societies, NAB Rawalpindi has formulated a four-point reform agenda. These reforms are initially being considered for implementation in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, where more than 90,000 citizens lost billions of rupees in payments made for plots that, in many cases, did not even exist.
NAB’s proposed reforms include:
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Establishing a central online portal where all regulator-approved layout plans will be published, enabling the public to independently verify any housing scheme’s claims.
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Issuing secure allotment letters for every approved plot containing QR or barcodes linked directly to the official database to prevent overselling.
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Creating mandatory escrow accounts for each project to ensure that public funds are spent solely on development work and monitored by a third party.
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Declaring the illegal sale of amenity plots a punishable criminal offense with strict penalties.
Under the proposed digital system, buyers will be able to verify with just one click whether a plot actually exists, whether a housing scheme is officially approved, and what its current development status is. All information will be accessible through a single government-managed website.
A senior NAB official stated that the system will empower citizens and protect them from fraudulent developers and misleading advertisements. He added that real transparency is achieved not just through regulations but through technology that is accessible to everyone.
DG NAB Waqar Ahmed Chauhan said the reforms would help permanently resolve the issues faced by millions of affected citizens and restore trust in Pakistan’s real estate sector. He revealed that private housing scheme frauds in Islamabad and Rawalpindi resulted in losses worth hundreds of billions of rupees, involving the sale of more than 91,000 extra plots and 80,000 kanals of unauthorized land.
NAB initiated these measures following a sharp rise in public complaints alleging that developers were misappropriating citizens’ investments, abandoning projects, and causing severe financial harm. DG NAB expressed hope that these reforms would become part of national policy and serve as a major milestone in ensuring transparency and reviving public confidence in the housing sector.
