The caretaker government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) in Pakistan has issued a warning to the public regarding potential fraud related to investments in private housing projects operating in the province without obtaining a no-objection certificate (NOC) from authorities.
The provincial information minister, Feroze Jamal Shah Kakakhel, revealed that some housing schemes, including Citi Housing and Bahria Town in Peshawar, do not possess the required NOCs or other legal documents to operate. Despite this, they are selling forms to potential investors. The government has already closed some offices of these housing schemes and plans to close others soon. The Chief Minister’s Inspection Team has also been tasked with conducting an inquiry into housing societies operating without NOCs. Minister Kakakhel urged people to invest their money only in housing projects that have the necessary NOCs and legal approvals.
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Additionally, the provincial government is taking action against hoarders of essential goods, with efforts resulting in the recovery of Rs4 million in dues from electricity consumers. During a crackdown on hoarding, authorities seized 8,000 wheat bags and 90,000 liters of edible oil. Minister Kakakhel emphasized that investments are welcome but should not be made at the expense of people’s hard-earned money. He urged individuals not to purchase membership forms of housing projects that lack approval from authorities.
On a broader financial note, the minister stated that the provincial government can only make payments to its departments when it has the necessary funds. He pointed out that the province’s share in the National Finance Commission Award has reached 19%, but it is still awaiting the clearance of Rs262 billion in dues by the federal government. He highlighted that the federal government has paid Rs1.5 trillion in hydel profit to the province since 2016, and settling these dues could help address the province’s financial challenges.
Minister Kakakhel also shared that a task force has been established to combat smuggling and electricity theft, consisting of efforts to monitor illegal trading of foreign exchange, gold, sugar, and electricity theft. He mentioned that elections in the province will be held after the issuance of the election schedule by the Election Commission of Pakistan, as delimitation of constituencies is being conducted following the recent population census. The Federal Investigation Agency has been actively addressing illegal currency trading, having carried out numerous raids and arrests related to this activity since December 2021.
