Chief Election Commissioner of Pakistan Jalal Sikandar Sultan Raja is receiving hefty rent every month from an influential businessman for two vacant plots in Abdalian Cooperative Housing Society (ACHS), despite there being no construction or business activity at the site, while declaring the income as lease income in his tax returns. 

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Initially, both these plots were residential but were suddenly converted into commercial plots some two years ago under mysterious circumstances, increasing their market value to hundreds of millions of rupees. During an interview with FactFocus, Raja denied any wrongdoing.

FactFocus investigations and onsite visits have established that the said businessman never launched any business operations during the last two years at the site of these two plots owned by the country’s chief election commissioner yet continue to pay a hefty rent for commercial activities.

“These two plots were residential and were illegally commercialised by the previous management of the society more than two years ago. We reversed the decision of commercialisation in March this year,” is the viewpoint of members of the current management committee of the Abdalian Cooperative Housing Society (ACHS) Lahore.

Right after this, the Punjab government came to the rescue of the chief election commissioner, and the Cooperatives Department pressured the current management of ACHS to withdraw its orders and revert Sikandar’s plots to commercial status once again.

It happened this way because, instead of approaching a civil court, Sikandar Sultan Raja filed a petition with the Punjab government’s Cooperatives Department, which was under the complete control of the PML-N government in Punjab. FactFocus sent a detailed questionnaire to the provincial secretary of the Cooperatives Department Punjab.

Naveed Haider Shirazi, provincial secretary cooperatives, in a communication with FactFocus admitted that this case is pending in his department and responded, “Matter is in my court so I cannot give any opinion. ”The next date of hearing is during the month of May, but the order in question has already been withdrawn by the management of ACHS. Naveed was appointed secretary of the Cooperatives Department in April 2026. Before Naveed, senior bureaucrat Muhammad Ahsan Waheed was secretary of the Cooperatives Department. When FactFocus contacted Waheed, instead of responding, he immediately disconnected the call after coming to know about the issue. A detailed questionnaire was also sent to Mr Waheed about his role, but he never responded. Waheed was so frustrated because of the situation that he immediately blocked the number from which he was approached. Later, questions were sent to him using a different cell number.

Sikandar Sultan Raja’s Viewpoint On ACHS Plots Commercialisation:

Sikandar Sultan Raja, during an interview with FactFocus on Monday, May 18, 2026, gave his side of the story. He explained that his father-in-law, senior bureaucrat Saeed Mehdi, an “Abdalian,” received a plot in ACHS around 25 years ago. He added that, as an “Abdalian” himself, he was also allotted a one-kanal plot in ACHS about 20 years ago. Following the distribution of property within Saeed Mehdi’s family, the second ACHS plot was transferred to Mehdi’s daughter, Rabab Sikandar, who is Sikandar’s wife.

Sikandar owns plot no 7-C in Block C, Phase-I, whereas his wife Rabab owns plot no 8-C in the same block and phase of the Abdalian Cooperative Housing Society.

Sikandar admitted that both these plots were basically residential plots but did not explain how his wife’s plot came next to his plot, and that too at the current prime location in the society.

Sikandar further explained that the previous administration of the ACHS allowed commercialisation of plots on the road where his two plots were situated. “I followed the process and deposited the society’s requisite fees as well as the fees of the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) which was around Rs 3 Crore.”

The current management of the society has a different take on this situation, which is given in the next section.

Sikandar further explained that the current management of the ACHS, without issuing him and others any notice, simply cancelled the commercialisation of residential plots. “It was unfair as we had already paid fees for the commercialisation,” Sikandar said, adding, “Punjab government’s Cooperatives Department was the authority that deals with these cooperative housing societies, so I filed a petition in the Cooperatives Department.”

Sikandar himself disclosed that, as a consequence of his petition in the Cooperatives Department, the current management of the ACHS withdrew its previous order and his plots were assigned commercial status once again.

Sikandar said that he comes from a very humble background. He said his father (Major (R) Sultan Raja) died while in service at a young age and his father’s department took great care of his family after his death. He and his eight siblings worked hard throughout their lives and are all self-made. He also added that he worked honestly throughout his career and had already retired when he was made Chief Election Commissioner.

Abdalian Cooperatives Housing Society (ACHS) Viewpoint:

When FactFocus confronted the current president of the ACHS, Khalid Shafiq Bajwa, about the commercialisation of residential plots of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) in violation of LDA’s approved revised layout plan, Bajwa stated, “It was not done by me or the current management committee. It was done by the previous management committee.”

Bajwa said in categorical words that the commercialisation of residential plots was absolutely illegal.

Contrary to the claim of Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja that, following the intervention of the Punjab government’s Cooperatives Department, the current management of the ACHS had withdrawn its order through which the commercialisation of his plots was cancelled and that his plots had become commercial once again, Khalid Shafiq Bajwa maintained that there is a “stay order” and the lawyer of the ACHS is presenting the viewpoint of the society before the court.

In response to further questions, Bajwa declined to comment, saying the issue is in court and he cannot comment. He was requested to provide the name of the lawyer representing ACHS, but he declined to share any further information.

Layout Plan Approved By The Lahore Development Authority (LDA):

According to the revised layout plan approved by the LDA in March 2011, the land-use breakup was as follows: residential 63.16%, commercial 1.36%, public buildings 2.06%, roads 24.44%, open spaces 7%, and graveyard 2%.

Similarly, in the section titled ‘Schedule of Plots’ in this revised layout plan, it was mentioned that there would be 5 marla, 7 marla, 10 marla, 13 marla, 14 marla, one kanal, and one-and-a-half kanal plots. It was also mentioned that there would be fourteen commercial plots of 3.6 marla, seven plots of 4 marla, six plots of 6.6 marla, and five plots of 7 marla. The biggest commercial plot was of seven marla.

Even in the original layout plan, the percentage of commercial plots was 1.36%, the total number of commercial plots was also the same, and the maximum size of a commercial plot was seven marla. According to the management of ACHS, there is no precedent for converting three-kanal residential plots into commercial plots while the houses around these plots remain residential.

Onsite Visits By Team FactFocus:

During an onsite visit by Team FactFocus on May 16, 2026, as shown in the video below, it could be seen that residential houses had been constructed on the plots surrounding these plots owned by the chief election commissioner of Pakistan.

As is evident from the video, there is no construction whatsoever on plot no 7-C and 8-C in Block-C, Phase-I of ACHS. There is a boundary wall without even a door in it, while the plots are closed from all other sides. No activity of any nature is taking place at the site of these plots. Wild plants can be seen all around the land area of these plots.

This visit by Team FactFocus made the matter even more complicated, in addition to the already unresolved issue of the questionable commercialisation of these residential plots. Questions were raised as to how the country’s chief election commissioner was taking monthly rent from some businessman for such a long time for this land and there is no activity on the site. 

Sikandar Sultan Raja’s Viewpoint on The Question Of Non Use Of Leased Out Plots But Still Receiving Rent Every Month:

Sikandar, when asked about the amount of money he was earning from leasing these plots by showing them as commercial plots to a businessman, responded, “I am paying tax of 8 lac/month on it.”

When asked why no business activity was visible at the site despite the plots being leased for commercial purposes and rent payments were continuously being deposited into his bank accounts, Sikandar Sultan Raja responded on May 20, 2026: “It is up to the lessee to decide when they will start the business. They may still be completing various formalities, but I am not aware of that. Brother, I have explained enough. No more conversation with me on this.” 

Sikandar also said that he entered into an agreement with the business to lease out these plots for commercial activity in July 2025. According to the management of the society, the illegal process of commercialisation of these residential plots had been carried out more than two years earlier.

Huge CEC Mansion Under Construction In DHA Lahore:

An unbelievably huge mansion is being constructed by the Chief Election Commissioner in Phase-8, T-Block of the Defence Housing Authority (DHA), Lahore. The covered area is more than 9,000 square feet, whereas the open area, including lawns etc, is around 10,000 square feet. The mansion has roads on three of its sides while on the fourth side, there is an alley. It is one of the very few palaces in the DHA which has roads on all its four sides.

When, during the May 18 interview, FactFocus questioned Sikandar about such a huge mansion in DHA, where plots are only of one kanal or two kanal in size, Sikandar responded that he had merged only two one-kanal plots.

However, when Team FactFocus visited the location, it found that the size of the mansion was even more than double the size of two kanals. Sikandar was sent questions to clarify the situation, and he responded through WhatsApp on May 19 as follows: “We are constructing a house by merging two plots of one kanal each. These are side-by-side plots which, under the rules, can be merged. Front and back plots cannot be merged. In front of our house, there is a two-kanal plot owned by the family which can neither be merged nor become part of the house. However, it can be used as a lawn after getting permission, till the time an independent house is constructed on it with an independent approach. We have gotten permission from the DHA to use it as a lawn for the time being.”

The grey structure in this video gives an idea of the magnitude of the area of the mansion.

The Saeed Mehdi Factor:

Saeed Mehdi is one of the most influential bureaucrats in Pakistan’s history. A District Management Group (DMG) officer, Mehdi served in very important positions. He served as principal secretary to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif during his second tenure as prime minister. Saeed Mehdi was widely regarded as being close to Nawaz Sharif and was often viewed as part of his trusted bureaucratic circle. Although currently ignored by the ruling PML-N, his apparent sympathies and association remained with Nawaz Sharif. It is a known fact in Pakistan’s bureaucratic circles, that Saeed Mehdi has always managed postings and transfers of Sikandar Sultan Raja. However, later Siknadar established direct connections with the top PML-N leadership.  

It was because of Mehdi’s influence that he continued to enjoy top offices even decades after his retirement from government service. When Nawaz Sharif became prime minister in 2013, he appointed Saeed Mehdi chairman of SNGL.

Two of Saeed Mehdi’s children are also bureaucrats. His son Amer Ali Ahmad and his daughter Rabab Sikandar always remained appointed to key positions. Sikandar Sultan also remained posted to key positions throughout his career because of the same Saeed Mehdi factor.

Senior Journalist Umar Cheema reported in 2015 that a mandatory course required for promotion to the next grade, and which is always conducted in Lahore, was transferred to Islamabad in order to ensure that Amer Ali Ahmad and his sister Rabab Sikandar would not have to leave the comfort of Islamabad.

Allegation of Canadian Nationality:

A few people on social media have levelled false allegations that Sikandar and his family members have Canadian nationality. FactFocus asked Sikandar about the allegations regarding the Canadian nationality of his family. He responded that the allegations are baseless and that he would never leave his motherland, Pakistan. Sikandar said that only his son has married a Canadian citizen and thus his daughter-in-law is a Canadian national. He said his wife has always travelled to Canada on a Pakistani passport.

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