Politicians and builders of Pakistan’s Punjab jointly built apartments worth crores of rupees in the middle of the 37-year-old dry Ravi river, which became a victims of floods.
SNPNEWS.IN NEWS UPDATE 2025: The Ravi Urban Development Authority (RUDA) was established in July 2020 during the Imran Khan government of Pakistan in Punjab.
The aim of which was to establish an urban development project on the banks of the Ravi river. This project has been designed to solve the problems of Lahore’s growing population, pollution and water scarcity, and it was planned to become the largest riverfront city in the world.
There was a plan to build residential, commercial establishments in these colonies that covered an area of (1,10,000 to 1,40,000) acres and claimed to provide living space for a population of about 1 million.
From here begins the game of cutting off illegal colonies and occupying the Ravi River, the masterminds of which were the big politicians and builders of Pakistan. Who illegally occupied the Ravi River and the surrounding lands and sold these illegal colonies by taking crores of rupees from lakhs of people amid claims of developing multi-storey buildings and commercial spaces.
RUDA has controlled 1,10,000 acres of the Ravi River since 2020 and more than 20 illegal societies have come into existence under it, the major ones being Park Avenue, Suffain Housing Scheme, Aleem Garden, Velocity Housing Scheme, Ryan Place and Beheshti Place.
Illegal projects built on the banks of the Ravi River:
● Park View City / River Edge): The project was started in 2004 by Ammar Khan as the River Edge Housing Scheme. In 2006, the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) approved it on 765 kanals of land.
In 2010, Vision Developers bought it and renamed it Park View Villas. In 2012, it became Park View City. Developed by Abdul Aleem Khan (former PTI minister, current IPP chairman and businessman, owner of Vision Group), the project is currently spread over an area of 1000-1300 acres.
The project was stopped by RUDA in 2022 after Abdul Aleem Khan was accused of fraud and illegal land acquisition. NAB closed the investigation in 2023 but the investigation into assets beyond income is ongoing. Aleem Khan accused of fraud of 250-300 billion rupees.
This project has been in the news the most during the current floods. Because thousands of its residents have been affected during the floods.
● Suffain Housing Scheme: A colony built in the Ravi River by a group of unauthorized traders and small dealers is under flood damage.
● Aleem Garden: The Project developed by Abdul Aleem Khan (former PTI minister, current IPP chairman and businessman, owner of Vision Group) This colony is spread over an area of 500 acres was stopped by RUDA in 2022 after Abdul Aleem Khan was accused of fraud and illegal land acquisition.
NAB closed investigation in 2023 but the investigation into assets beyond income is ongoing. Aleem Khan allegations of fraud of Rs 250-300 billion. This project has been the most talked about during the current floods.
● Velocity Housing Scheme: A colony built by a group of unauthorized traders and small dealers in the Ravi River on a site occupied by agriculture and the Ravi River.
● Ryan Place: A colony built by a group of unauthorized traders and small dealers in the Ravi River on a site occupied by agriculture and the Ravi River.
● Beheshti Place: A colony built by a group of unauthorized traders and small dealers in the Ravi River on a site occupied by agriculture and the Ravi River.
● Other Projects: Apart from this, countless small and large colonies have been established in the Ravi River.
In the last days of August 2025, large-scale rains and mudslides were witnessed in the Indian region, as a result of which Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and the adjoining areas are facing massive floods.
The waters of the Ravi, Sutlej and Beas rivers of Punjab meet the Arabian Sea through Pakistan. Which has also caused widespread destruction across the border.
A major scandal revealed during the floods. Which has put Pakistani politicians and officials in the dock. Politicians and builders together bought thousands of acres of land on the banks of the Ravi river after 2020 and cut down illegal colonies. In which the people living in these colonies they are having to suffer.