# Illegal housing societies in Karachi: SBCA's list, the approved projects and how to check (Oct 2026)

URL: https://which.pk/property/guides/illegal-housing-societies-karachi/
Author: Ahtisham
Updated: 26 Oct 2026

## Summary

SBCA publishes a scanned Illegal Societies PDF, with the file dated 31 October 2024, holding 52 line items in three notices that each say no NOC for sale and advertisement was granted. In July 2026 Dawn reported that audit officials flagged 58 illegal schemes in Karachi without naming them. SBCA's year pages show five sale NOCs since 2025: three in 2026 and two in 2025, as of 26 October 2026.

## Key facts

- SBCA illegal list: 52 line items in 3 notices (file dated 31 Oct 2024)
- Sindh audit, Jul 2026: 58 illegal schemes (names not published)
- Sale NOCs on SBCA's pages: 3 in 2026, 2 in 2025
- Checked: 26 Oct 2026

Karachi's building regulator, the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA), publishes a PDF called **Illegal Societies**: three scanned public notices naming **52 line items**, each saying SBCA has not granted a **No Objection Certificate (NOC) for Sale and Advertisement**. The file's name carries the date 31 October 2024, so it is an older list, and it is not complete: Dawn reported on 29 July 2026 that audit officials flagged **58 illegal housing schemes** in Karachi, without naming them. We read SBCA's pages and PDF on 26 October 2026.

## What does SBCA's illegal list say?

Each notice warns the public not to book or buy units in the listed projects and says SBCA will not act as arbitrator in any dispute. The PDF is a scan, not a table, and the notices show no clear date: one has a handwritten date near the signature that is hard to read. Some names repeat, so the number of distinct projects is below 52.

| Notice | Line items | Examples named (area) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | The Greens (Deh Tore, Gadap Town); Karachi Dream Villas (Scheme-45); Umm Ul Qura City (Gadap Town); Al-Qasar Tower (Scheme-33); Rehman Square (Scheme-24) |
| 2 | 24 | Shangrila City and Canal View City (Northern Bypass); Rumaisa City; Atap Town (Scheme-45); DJ Residency; Mehmad Tower (Surjani Town) |
| 3 | 20 | Ideal Gold Town (Scheme-33); Raji City; Al-Mujeeb Garden (Model Colony, Malir); Kaneez Fatima Town (Scheme-45); Ayesha Town (Northern Bypass); Hills City (Malir) |

A project missing from this PDF is not necessarily legal. The 58 schemes Dawn reported are larger than the 52 line items here, and the committee told SBCA to make their names public. We found no published list of those 58.

The Dawn report says SBCA officials told the Sindh Public Accounts Committee that any scheme without an NOC is illegal, and that unregistered builders market such schemes on social media, sometimes without a booking office.

## Which new Karachi projects have an SBCA sale NOC?

SBCA's year pages list public-sale projects that received an NOC for Sale and Advertisement. The pages show no last-updated date. On 26 October 2026:

| NOC date | Project | Builder | Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Sep 2026 | Alvisha Housing Society | M.A.A. Construction & Builders (Pvt.) Ltd | 28 acres 20 ghuntas, Deh Halkani, West Karachi |
| 30 Apr 2026 | Maliha Residency | Samma Builders & Developers | 7 acres 6 ghuntas, Deh Malh, Malir district |
| 25 Feb 2026 | Gulsh-e-Shafi Hakim | Al-Rafi Enterprises | 7 acres 38 ghuntas, Deh Thano, Malir district |
| 12 Dec 2025 | Gul-e-Rehmat | Kanjiani Builders & Developers | 3 acres 31 ghuntas, Deh Thano, Malir |
| 20 Mar 2025 | Naya Nazimabad-I | Javedan Corporation Limited | 12 acres, Deh Orangi, Manghopir Road |

That is **five new sale NOCs in two years** on SBCA's pages. The 2026 page's heading says 2025, but its rows are dated 2026; we followed the NOC dates. An NOC is permission to sell and advertise. It does not tell you the price, the payment plan, whether plots are ready or whether utilities are connected, and we found no independent source for those on these five projects.

For a Karachi society with a full review, see [DHA Karachi](/property/karachi/dha-karachi/) and [Bahria Town Karachi](/property/karachi/bahria-town-karachi/).

## How do I check a Karachi project before paying?

1. Get the builder's name and the **NOC number for Sale and Advertisement**. If there isn't one, SBCA says the project is illegal.
2. Match the project name, builder and NOC number to SBCA's year page of public sale projects (2021 to 2026).
3. Search the name in the Illegal Societies PDF. Also search the nearby scheme and block names, because names are reused.
4. Be wary of projects sold only on social media or with no booking office, which Dawn reported SBCA warning about.
5. For a building plan on a plot you already own, see [SBCA building plan approval](/property/guides/sbca-building-plan-approval/).

We did not find readable lists from KDA, the Malir Development Authority or the Sindh Katchi Abadis Authority, so this guide covers SBCA only. Do not read the absence of a project from these lists as approval.

## Questions people ask

### Is there an official list of illegal housing societies in Karachi?

SBCA publishes an 'Illegal Societies' PDF of public notices naming 52 line items. The file is dated 31 October 2024, so it is not current. Dawn reported in July 2026 that audit officials flagged 58 illegal schemes, so the PDF cannot be complete.

### How do I check whether a Karachi project is legal?

SBCA says a project without an NOC for Sale and Advertisement is illegal. Ask the builder for the NOC number, match it to SBCA's public sale project pages (2021 to 2026), and screen the name against the Illegal Societies PDF.

### Which new housing schemes in Karachi have an SBCA sale NOC?

SBCA's 2026 page lists Gulsh-e-Shafi Hakim (25 Feb 2026), Maliha Residency (30 Apr 2026) and Alvisha Housing Society (3 Sep 2026). Its 2025 page lists Naya Nazimabad-I (20 Mar 2025) and Gul-e-Rehmat (12 Dec 2025).

### Does an SBCA NOC mean I can build and live there soon?

No. The NOC permits sale and advertisement. Possession, utilities and delivery depend on the developer and need separate checks.

## Sources

- [Illegal Societies (public notices, PDF)](https://sbca.gos.pk/pdf/illegal_societies-31-10-2024.pdf), Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- [Public sale projects: NOC for Sale & Advertisement, 2026](https://sbca.gos.pk/housing-Year-2026), SBCA (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- [Public sale projects: NOC for Sale & Advertisement, 2025](https://sbca.gos.pk/housing-Year-2025), SBCA (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- [444 heritage buildings in Karachi are in dilapidated condition, PAC told (29 Jul 2026)](https://www.dawn.com/news/amp/2019108), Dawn (accessed 26 Oct 2026)