In a major step toward cleaning up Islamabad’s messy real estate sector, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has announced a new digital database to track every housing and cooperative society operating in the capital.
The initiative was approved during a high-level meeting chaired by CDA Chairman Muhammad Ali Randhawa, where officials discussed the growing problem of unauthorized housing schemes, especially in the city’s rural zones. Dr. Khalid Hafiz, Member Planning, briefed the meeting on the current legal action against such societies.
The database will list each society’s approved layout plan, zoning classification, valid NOCs, and the number of plots officially sanctioned versus those being sold. It will also flag societies involved in overselling—where more plots are marketed than the available legal land.
“We want every housing society in Islamabad to be part of one transparent system,” Randhawa said. “Citizens will be able to verify the legal status of a society before investing their hard-earned money.”
Currently, CDA maintains a basic list of legal and illegal housing societies on its website, but the new platform will offer real-time, detailed updates, making it much harder for fraudulent developers to hide behind paperwork or legal ambiguities.
Enforcement will also tighten. Societies violating approved plans or selling beyond their limits will face penalties and legal action, and even suppliers providing materials to illegal projects may be held accountable.
Officials believe the move will help both investors and enforcement agencies. “Fraudulent housing schemes will no longer be able to operate unchecked,” said a CDA Planning Wing official.
Islamabad has seen a sharp rise in unapproved housing projects in recent years, fueling public frustration and legal disputes. Urban planners have welcomed the CDA’s renewed focus on digitization, transparency, and public protection.
“This is about safeguarding citizens,” Randhawa stressed. “Our aim is to ensure that Islamabad grows in a lawful, sustainable, and people-centered way.”
The digital database will be launched in the coming months, linked directly to CDA’s planning wing for instant updates and public access.