By Nadeem Tanoli
Rawalpindi Development Authority adopts pick and choose policy while acting against the marketing agencies promoting illegal housing societies.
RDA on Saturday has issued notices to four marketing agencies for promoting illegal housing societies through digital marketing on social media.
Marketing agencies while are served notices includes Anzo Marketing, Wall Real Estate, Titanium Agency, and Vital Marketing and issued them directions to stop advertising any housing scheme that lacks legal approval as it is against the Punjab Development Authorities (PDA) Private Housing Scheme Rules-2021.
Three of marketing agencies which are served with notices are based in Lahore. Sources said that dozens of marketing agencies operating in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, instead of acting against those marketing agencies RDA has issued notices to the agencies whose management is more than 377KM away from their jurisdiction.
When contacted, Malik Irfan, Manager, Wall Real Estate one of the agencies to whom notice is issued – said they are unaware of any notice issued by RDA.
“Our agency is based in Lahore and are promoting housing societies of Lahore”, he added.
According to the Section 46 (1) of the PDA rules, sponsors must not advertise plots or housing units without prior approval of the authority. The notice, which is available with “Islamabad mail,” further states that promoting any housing schemes without legal authorization is illegal under the RDA rules.
When contacted the representative of the Titanium Agency also expressed unawares from any notice issued by the RDA.
Citizen has express disappointment over the measures taken by RDA to stop the marketing of illegal housing societies.
Mr. Ahsan Arshad, a resident of Satellite Town Rawalpindi, said, like marketing agencies, RDA is also making the public fool by issuing such notices. There are dozens of illegal housing societies which are operating their office in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, RDA is failed to close those office and now trying to make the public fool but circulating such notices and news.
Mr. Abdul Haseeb, General Manager, Anzu Marketing, said his company is not working with any housing society based in Rawalpindi.
“We are promoting only Islamabad based housing societies and all these are having NOC of Capital Development Authority”, he maintained.
The notice issued by RDA states that unless a project has obtained a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from RDA Rawalpindi, it cannot be considered an approved or legal project. These agencies, through their websites and social media are misleading the general public into investing in illegal housing societies by projecting such projects as already approved and legal. The notice warns that the marketing projection of such projects gives a false impression to the public and can deceive them into investing in unapproved/fake/illegal housing schemes.
The marketing agencies have been directed to remove all materials related to illegal housing schemes that may deceive the public into investing their money. The RDA has advised the public to check the legal status of the projects on the RDA website or by directly contacting the MP&TE Directorate RDA.
The RDA has warned the management of the marketing agencies to not be a part of this illegal activity that can deceive the general public. Failure to comply with the Punjab Development of Cities Act 1976 and PDA Private Housing Schemes Rules 2021 may result in legal action against the marketing agencies under relevant laws.
