LAHORE by SPECIAL COORESPODENT
Park View City Housing Society has come under intense scrutiny after severe flooding submerged large parts of the development, leaving residents distressed and raising alarm over the fate of millions invested by overseas Pakistanis.
According to reports, the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) and other government officials in Punjab allegedly colluded to issue an NOC (No Objection Certificate) to the housing scheme, despite it being built on land prone to flooding—including riverbeds and natural drainage routes.
During the tenure of former Prime Minister and PTI founder Imran Khan, LDA had initially refused to grant NOC to Park View City. The refusal reportedly led to a fallout between Khan and Aleem Khan, a senior PTI leader at the time and now Federal Minister for Communications. Aleem Khan, who also serves as Secretary General of the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), owns Park View City housing societies in both Lahore and Islamabad, both of which were affected by the recent monsoon floods.
Sources claim that the housing societies include encroachments on state-owned land and were constructed in environmentally sensitive areas. Despite these violations, the LDA allegedly granted approvals, risking not only lives but also massive financial losses.
Millions of rupees invested by local and overseas Pakistanis are now at stake, as many plots and homes have been damaged or rendered inaccessible due to flooding. Videos and images circulating on social media show submerged roads, damaged infrastructure, and residents struggling to salvage their belongings.
Adding to the controversy, Park View City’s owner is also the proprietor of a leading Pakistani TV news channel—SAMAA TV—which has been accused of maintaining silence on the issue. Critics have pointed out that while the channel’s top anchors recently scrutinized Bahria Town and property tycoon Malik Riaz for alleged corruption, they have refrained from addressing the ongoing Park View City disaster.
The incident has triggered widespread debate on social media, with questions being raised about regulatory oversight, media integrity, and political influence in real estate development.
As public pressure mounts, calls for an independent investigation are growing louder. Citizens and affected investors demand accountability from both LDA officials and political figures allegedly involved in enabling these developments in vulnerable zones.
