Editorial
FOREWORD
Editor IbrahIm Suheyl assistant Editor Samra ZulfIqar
n behalf of everyone here at Zameen.com, I would like to wish our readers Eid Mubarak with the hope that this eid brought for you a great deal of happiness and joy to cherish for years to come.
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It brings Team Zameen great pleasure to present the fifth issue of Zameen.com magazine, which chronicles the general ups and downs in the country and its effects on the real estate sector in great detail. The upheavals in the Pakistani political and security scene are no secret, and we consider it our job to keep our readers informed about what all of this means for their precious investments. We therefore endeavour to keep all of you updated vis-à-vis any effects this situation might have had on the property market of the country, and you can read more about it in our detailed market report for this month. This month’s cover story highlights ecommunity housing Scheme Sheikhupura, which is a delightful project from Pebbles (Pvt) ltd that focuses on creating a residential development in harmony with its natural surroundings and has the conservation of nature as its core aim. our featured properties are both from lahore this month, one of which is purely residential while the other is a mixed-use development in the heart of lahore. our feature stories for this issue talk about a rather enjoyable do-it-yourself project, the value of architects, and some helpful tips about choosing wiring for your home. I hope they will all provide you a wonderful reading experience and a lot of new information to take away. enjoy the read!
ibrahim suheyl editor
WritErs ZaIn nadeem ahSen Ghufran Khan
CrEativE CrEativE HEad Sabeen alI dEsignErs muneeb IjaZ ammar Toor
dEvElopEr advErtising HEad, dEvElopEr BusinEss aSIm IfTIKhar
agEnt advErtising rEgional HEad (nortH) ahmad bhaTTI rEgional HEad (soutH) maShood rehman salEs ManagErs (CEntral) Kamran ShehZad haSSan ahmed
ManagEMEnt CHiEf ExECutivE offiCEr ZeeShan alI Khan CHiEf opErating offiCEr Imran alI Khan ExECutivE CHairMan GIlleS blanchard disClaiMEr although every reasonable care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this publication, neither the publisher, editor nor their employees and agents can be held liable for any errors, inaccuracies and/or omissions, howsoever. We shall not be responsible for any loss or damage, whether direct or indirect, incidental or consequential arising from or in connection with the contents of this publication and shall not accept any liability in relation thereto. The views by our contributors expressed here are their personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect Zameen.com’s views. unless otherwise noted, all artwork and ad designs printed in Zameen.com magazine are the sole property of Zameen.com pakistan and may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of the publisher.
printEr The fortune Productions Suite no 3-4, 1st floor, barket centre, royal Park, lahore
ConTEnTs CovEr story
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ecommunITy houSInG Scheme SheIKhuPura: a Green dream fInally come True
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news stories
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featured property
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Zaamin Centre
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featured property
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Market report
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Paragon City
Is Pakistan’s property market going to pay the price of instability?
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feature story
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featured agents
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Classifieds
Electrical wiring for your home
feature story
The DIY dream garden
feature story
Why you should hire an architect
NHA GIVES GO-AHEAD FOR KARACHILAHORE MOTORWAY CONSTRUCTION
according to a news source, the approval for the development of the dams and a medical college was given during a recent meeting of the Provincial development Working Party, with the Punjab Planning and development board chairman in the chair. The news source also stated that a total cost of rs 2.53 billion would be incurred on the development of the dams and the Khawaja muhammad Safdar medical college in Sialkot.
MINISTER DEMANDS ACTION AGAINST PEOPLE INVOLVED IN PRECIOUS LAND SALE KaraCHi: The national highway authority (nha) has greenlighted the construction of the Karachi-lahore motorway. during a meeting of the nha’s executive board, it was decided that the construction of the Karachi-lahore motorway would begin soon and the project would be a priority. nha chairman mr Shahid ashraf Tarrar told the board to make all efforts to increase revenue from toll plazas. he also said the contracts for toll plazas would be awarded through open bidding.
SC ORDERS PROVINCIAL AUTHORITIES TO RETRIEVE ILLEGALLY OCCUPIED LAND KaraCHi: The Supreme court of Pakistan has ordered Sindh government authorities to retrieve nearly 57,000 acres of land still occupied illegally by federal and provincial institutions in various areas of Karachi.
KaraCHi: Sindh minister for anti-corruption, Prisons, mines, and mineral development mr manzoor hussain Wasan has demanded stern action against those involved in selling 36,000 acres of precious land in Taluka nara in Khairpur district. according to a news source, mr Wasan told a Sindh assembly session that the precious land in Taluka nara containing natural gas reservoirs had been sold in General Zia-ul-haq’s era at nominal rates after the flow of the Indus river was altered, because of which the area now gets flooded as well. mr Wasan also alleged that Zia’s successors had spent billions of rupees to remodel nara canal, which caused further damage to the Sindh province.
E&T DEPARTMENT DEMOLISHES PROPERTIES OF TAX DEFAULTERS
according to a news source, out of 59,803 acres of illegally occupied land that the government had initially been told to clear out, only 2,864 acres of land was retrieved by the authorities concerned. The news source stated further that the board of revenue officials had assured the court that the remaining illegally occupied land would be vacated within the next six months.
PUNJAB GOVERNMENT TO BUILD DAMS IN POTOHAR REGION, MEDICAL COLLEGE IN SIALKOT laHorE: The Punjab government has given approval for the development of 200 mini-dams in the Potohar region and a medical college in Sialkot.
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laHorE: The lahore region b directorate of excise and Taxation has razed 35 residential and commercial properties of property tax defaulters. on orders from region b excise and Taxation director mr masood ul haq, the assistant excise and Taxation officer razed properties of tax defaulters in nasheman-e-Iqbal housing Society, PcSIr housing Society, and airline housing Society.
news stories
BUNGLES IN ALLOTMENT OF PLOTS IN RAILWAY COOPERATIVE HOUSING SOCIETIES raWalpindi: mismanagement in allotment of plots in railway cooperative housing Societies has been identified by the authorities concerned, and an action committee has been developed to compensate the victims. according to a news source, a few housing societies had been developed to provide plots to railway officials. however, the railway administration allotted plots to ineligible people. The news source reported further that some seven cases of illegal allotment of plots had been unveiled as of yet.
SHALLEY VALLEY RESIDENTS EXPRESS CONCERN OVER POOR SANITATION
DHA CITY KARACHI RECEIVES INTERNATIONAL AWARD KaraCHi: dha city Karachi has received an international award for being the first planned, sustainable green city of Pakistan from the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI) in Washington, dc and the Zofnass Program for Sustainable Infrastructure at harvard university. according to the certificate of accomplishment awarded to dha city Karachi, infrastructure sustainability following the envision Guidelines had been ensured in the locality. according to a news source, the ISI immensely valued the leadership role taken by dha city Karachi.
LAND MAFIA REMOVED FROM TUNNEL
raWalpindi: The residents of Shalley Valley have expressed concern over the poor condition of sanitation in the area. according to a news source, the residents held the cantonment board and other authorities responsible for the situation, complaining that sanitation workers heaped garbage on the roadsides, which was extremely inconvenient and insanitary.
PROPERTY DEALERS PROTEST AGAINST INCREASE IN PROPERTY TRANSFER FEES
laHorE: a number of real estate agents protested outside the lahore development authority (lda) complex against the increase in property transfer fees. according to a news source, the protestors burnt tyres on the road because of which traffic experienced problems for some time. “We are not targeting lda officials. our protest is genuine and in the public interest. The transfer fees have been increased by up to 600 per cent, which has affected our business,” a protestor told the news source. on the other hand, a senior official of the lda expressed surprise over the protest by those who he said were not even party to the property transfer fee increase issue. “The protest should be staged by property buyers and sellers, not by those who are not even affected by the issue,” the lda official said.
MuZaffaraBad: a group of land-grabbers were removed from the historic ambore Tunnel on the outskirts of muzaffarabad through a recent operation conducted by three police contingents. according to a news source, the operation was supervised by assistant commissioner mr asim Khalid awan, deputy Superintendent of Police mr muhammad naseer and two station house officers. The land-grabbers strongly resisted the operation. however, police freed the occupied historic site in the end. moreover, a block factory and three shelters were also demolished during the operation.
LDA, TMAS TO HAND OVER BUILDING CONTROL AFFAIRS laHorE: The lahore development authority and the Town municipal administrations (Tmas) will have to transfer building control affairs to a new divisional building control authority (bca) after the approval of the bill on the bca by the provincial assembly and Punjab cabinet. according to a news source, the lda’s Town Planning Wing currently deals with the approval of building maps, implementation of building by-laws, demolition of illegal structures, collection of commercialisation charges, inspection of sites, and various other matters. as soon as the bill is approved, the lda and Tmas will be required to hand over these matters to the bca.
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news stories
CONSTRUCTION OF MOSQUE ON DISPUTED LAND CREATES PROBLEMS
HISTORIC BUILDING REMAINS NEGLECTED
aZad JaMMu KasHMir: The deputy commissioner of the Plandri district of azad jammu Kashmir (ajK) has been accused of causing tensions among people by allowing construction of a mosque on disputed land. according to a news source, the district administration had declared the disputed land school property and recommended the demolition of the mosque about two months ago.
COMMISSIONER ORDERS INQUIRY OF LAND ALLOTMENT HydEraBad: hyderabad commissioner mr jamal mustafa Syed has told the officials concerned to take action against the illegal occupation of a portion of the naval rai hiranand academy.
islaMaBad: a major portion of Sarai Kharbuza, a historical inn built by the mughals on the outskirts of the federal capital, is illegally occupied by nearby villagers, while the remaining portion of the building is rapidly falling apart.
according to a news source, the commissioner took notice of the allotment of 115 square yards of the academy’s land to two people under Section 164 of the Sindh land revenue act. he also told the officials to conduct hearing of the matter on regular basis from july 3, 2014.
as reported by a news source, neither the capital development authority (cda) nor the archeology department seems to have any interest in preserving this historical site.
SETHI ANNOUNCES CONSTRUCTION OF CRICKET STADIUM IN ISLAMABAD
however, cda Spokesman mr asim Khichi told the news source that the civic authority would probe the matter and no one would be allowed to occupy such sites.
PROPERTY DISPUTE CLAIMS LIFE OF TWO BROTHERS raWalpindi: Two brothers, both real estate agents, were killed over a property dispute at their office on misryal road on july 1, 2014. according to a news source, both brothers were sitting in their office when an unidentified man entered and started fighting with them over a property dispute. The news source added that the accused, in a fit of rage, shot Imran and his brother faisal and then fled the scene.
islaMaBad: Pakistan cricket board (Pcb) chairman mr najam Sethi has announced the construction of a cricket stadium in Islamabad. “constriction will be started within six months and we will endeavour to finish construction work as quickly as possible,” Sethi told a news source. The news source reported further that the capital development authority (cda) had allotted land to Pcb at no cost in the national Park area in Shakarparian. The Pcb had begun construction work after getting possession of the land but it was interrupted when the cda demanded an environmental Impact assessment report on the project.
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CM’S PLAN TO TRANSFORM JAMPUR INTO MODEL CITY TO BE IMPLEMENTED SOON raJanpur: Punjab assembly deputy Speaker mr Sardar Sher ali Khan Gochrani has said that chief minister mr Shahbaz Sharif’s rs 5 billion package to convert jampur into a model city would be put into action soon. Gochrani told reporters that the Punjab government was committed to bringing improvements to Southern Punjab, and development schemes worth rs 1.378 billion were already underway in rajanpur district’s hajipur, fazalpur, jampur and other areas. he stated further that work to strengthen the banks of dajal canal was also in progress.
news stories
GUJRAT TMA LAUNCHES DRIVE FOR BEAUTIFICATION OF PARKS Gujrat: The Gujrat Tehsil municipal administration (Tma) has launched a drive to beautify the city’s parks and paint the walls of various public avenues. according to a news source, Inayat Park, the oldest public park in the city, is being rehabilitated at a cost of rs 1.5 million, and boundary walls are being built around the park as well. Tma administrator mr farooq rasheed told the news source that rs 5 million had been allocated to the beautification of the city, and most of the funds would be utilised in the rehabilitation of parks.
swath of fertile land. according to a news source, dha Peshawar recently placed advertisements in newspapers to hire staff even though the government had forbidden the sale or purchase of land in the areas specified for the project. The farmers had serious reservations about the dha Peshawar projects, the news source added.
TEMPORARY BRIDGE OVER STORM WATER DRAIN ALMOST COMPLETE
ILLEGAL HOUSING SOCIETIES STILL OPERATIONAL IN ISLAMABAD islaMaBad: a number of unauthorised housing societies that do not possess no-objection certificates (nocs) from the capital development authority (cda) are still in business, and are allegedly cheating investors. according to a news source, out of 128 housing societies, 74 were not authorised by the cda, and only 54 had been given legal status to sell and advertise their properties. “The societies were declared illegal because they did not get no-objection certificates (nocs) from the cda,” cda director for housing Societies mr faraz malik told the news source. The news source stated further that the civic authority had warned the citizens through its website against indulging in any sale or purchase of properties in these unauthorised housing schemes.
CDA PLANS TO INITIATE DEVELOPMENT WORK IN SECTOR I-12 islaMaBad: The capital development authority (cda) has decided to initiate development work in Sector I-12. “affected people of Sector e-12 are to be resettled in Sector I-12, for which development of the latter is essential. a fence is being established around the sector to ward off land-grabbers,” cda member estate and administration mr amir ali told a news source. The news source stated further that the erection of the fence around the sector would cost between rs 20 million and rs 30 million.
HOUSING PROJECTS ON FARMLAND IRK GROWERS pEsHaWar: The defence housing authority (dha)’s plan to start two housing projects on a farmland has upset regional growers, as they fear that these projects are likely to affect their livelihood and may deprive them of a large
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guJrat: The construction of a temporary bridge over a storm water drain in Karianwala is almost complete, and is likely to be opened for traffic soon. according to a news source, the concrete bridge over the storm water drain had collapsed due to consistent downpours last week, and it was reportedly the only road link between a number of villages around Karianwala and Gujrat district. Gujrat district coordination officer mr liaquat ali chattha has approached the chief minister’s office to get approval of funds to develop a new concrete bridge over the drain, the news source added.
LAND FOR SECTOR E-12 TO BE ACQUIRED SOON islaMaBad: capital development authority (cda) chairman mr maroof afzal has assured a national assembly (na) Standing committee that the land for Sector e-12 would be acquired within a period of three months. according to a news source, the cda had announced Sector e12 in 1985, but it had not been able to take possession of the land since. moreover, the civic agency told the residents of the sector that they would be compensated through plots in Sector I-12 against their land in Sector e-12. reportedly, the deal could not materialise, and many people refused to vacate their land. during a meeting with the na committee, the cda chairman admitted that there had been no progress on the sector’s development for almost three decades. however, he assured the committee that the land would be acquired within three months.
news stories
LAND RECORD COMPUTERISATION PROJECT MAKES HEADWAY
TAXILLA-KHANPUR HIGHWAY TO BE CARPETED, UPLIFTED taxilla: The Taxilla-Khanpur highway carpeting and uplifting work was inaugurated on july 9, 2014, according to a news source. The inauguration ceremony was attended by former national assembly speaker mr ayub Khan, national assembly Standing committee on finance chairman mr umer ayub Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assembly member mr raja faisal Zaman, and other well-known personalities.
KaraCHi: The Sindh administration has reportedly proceeded with the computerisation of land records. according to a news source, the provincial authorities are still a fair way from completing this multi-billion-rupee project, but they are close to the completion of linking the records with geographic information systems (GIS). The news source reported further that the project called ‘land administration and revenue management’ was launched in 2009 on orders from the Supreme court and former president mr asif ali Zardari with the aim of protecting records maintained by the board of revenue.
COLLEGE RENTS OUT ITS GROUND TO BUS COMPANY laHorE: Government college for boys, Gulberg has reportedly rented out its 10-kanal grounds to the daewoo bus company, allegedly on orders from the Punjab higher education department.
national highway authority General manager mr abdullah jan said the development work would be completed at a cost of rs 66 million in three phases.
CDA GIVES APPROVAL FOR THREE PROJECTS islaMaBad: The capital development authority (cda) has given approval for three multimillion-rupee large-scale developments in the federal capital. These projects include construction of two underpasses between Sectors f7 and f8, and Sectors G7 and G8, along with the development of a citizens facilitation centre in Sector G7. The authority has also given approval for the installation of barbed wire around its land. according to a news source, the allocation of resources for these projects will be made in the current cda budget for the financial year 2014-15. construction work on the projects is scheduled to begin soon after the approval of the budget.
CHIEF MINSTER INAUGURATES AZADI CHOWK OVERPASS
a news source reported that the daewoo bus company had failed to acquire land from Punjab university for its office near faisal Town chowk, so it had managed to rent out the college’s grounds for rs 500,000 a month.
PUNJAB FOREST DEPARTMENT MAKES MURREE EXPRESSWAY LANDSLIDE-SAFE raWalpindi: The Punjab forest department has reinforced almost 80 per cent of the risky areas prone to landslides along murree expressway, rawalpindi forest conservator mr Iftikhar ahmed qureshi told a news agency. Iftikhar added that the forest department had launched the project to keep commuters safe from landslides. reportedly, the project was initiated in collaboration with the national highway authority (nha). The news source stated further that saplings were planted to reinforce the land and keep it safe from erosion.
laHorE: Punjab chief minister mr Shahbaz Sharif inaugurated the azadi chowk overpass on july 13, 2014. according to a news source, the project was completed at a cost of rs 5.35 billion in a record period of 165 days. reportedly, the length of the overpass is 2.53 km and it is expected to see traffic of 200,000 vehicles a day. The chief minister told reporters at the inauguration that after this project, national monuments such as the lahore fort, minar-e-Pakistan, and badshahi mosque would be protected from pollution.
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cover story
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akistan is a veritable sea of people, a huge chunk of which lives in crowded cities polluted by exhaust fumes and waste material. in such an environment, self-sustaining, green development is a desperate necessity, and our cover story for this issue features a good samaritan who has come up with a project that is as green as it gets. strategically located on main sheikhupura-lahore road, Ecommunity Housing scheme has been developed by pebbles (pvt) limited as an answer to pakistan’s smog-choked prayers. the first-ever housing scheme in pakistan based entirely on green building practices, the housing society has been built with the conscious aim of conserving its natural surroundings and the wider environment. in essence, the development is a modern urban project featuring a classy blend of contemporary building practices as well as sensible use of natural resources in complete harmony with Mother nature.
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cover story
WHat is a ‘grEEn’ soCiEty? The word ‘green’ is not just a moniker. ecommunity housing Society has been carefully and meticulously planned to meet the following conservation and sustainability targets: n n n n n n
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Water use reduction up to 40% energy use reduction up to 50% renewable energy use up to 2.5% hVac requirement reduction up to 30% material reuse or virgin material mitigation up to 20% up to 50% of material used in construction procured within a 500km radius of site usage of rapidly renewable material up to 5% Improved indoor environmental quality and extra ventilation in all living spaces reduction in carbon dioxide concentration inside residential structures
loCation The grand gate of ecommunity housing has been imaginatively designed with towering green walls symbolising its oneness with nature, and befittingly reflecting the unique grandeur of the community within. It is easily accessible from both lahore and Sheikhupura at only 2.4km from the main gate of Sheikhupura housing Society, 2.7km from by-Pass chowk Sheikhupura, and 17km from Kot abdul malik Interchange. ecommunity housing Scheme spans over 55 acres of land fully owned by Pebbles (Pvt) limited, around 36% of which has been allocated for residential structures, 15% for green areas (parks and gardens), and a significant 40% for open, wide and spacious roads lined with trees and beautiful walkways. It also features carefully crafted commercial areas and community centres to cater to contemporary communal aspirations.
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aMEnitiEs ecommunity housing Schene Project is all about building a natural, beautiful community, and a great deal of thought has gone into carefully designing and providing every possible social requirement, and then some.
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Some outstanding community features spanning over 8 acres of the project area are:
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a state-of-the-art club and community centre Swimming pool and spa (with steam rooms, jacuzzi and sauna) Water features amphitheatre Seating lounge outdoor sitting area Squash courts Tennis courts basketball court
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options ecommunity housing Scheme offers several cuttings to cater to everyone’s needs, and plot sizes include full 20 marlas, 10 marlas, 7 marlas and 5 marlas. What that means is that you’re guaranteed to find what you’re looking for, given that the payment plan allows you to pay 25% down payment and the rest of the 75% in equal quarterly instalments over the course of a year.
aBout pEBBlEs (pvt) liMitEd an associate concern of dawood hercules corporation limited, Pebbles is a professionally sound and technically equipped sustainable real estate development company, aimed at aesthetically and competently developing green building practices. With a clear mission to penetrate the real estate market with sustainable building concepts and contemporary business practices, Pebbles also very consciously shoulders the responsibility to preserve the invaluable and quickly depleting natural resources. all of its projects are inspired by leadership in energy and environmental design (leed) Green Standards and demonstrate a strong sensitivity about preservation and recycling of natural resources.
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Indoor games area with provisions for snooker Gymnasium Planting Island
a football stadium has also been designed to be at par with international standards, and ecommunity housing Scheme also features beautiful green jogging and walking tracks.
as with any great housing society, excellent security features and parking areas are also on offer at this green development. a residential development of this standard and quality in Sheikhupura is something of a dream come true, so pick up the phone and see if a chunk of this dream can be reserved for you.
+92 300 4175555 +92 042 111 550 111 propErty typE
priCE rangE
20-Marla Residential Plot
PKR 5,000,000 – PKR 7,700,000
10-Marla Residential Plot
PKR 2,500,000 – PKR 3,000,000
7-Marla Residential Plot
PKR 1,750,000 – PKR 2,450,000
5-Marla Residential Plot
PKR 1,250,000 zameen.com
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featured property
E r t n E C n i ZaaM ntral business district ce ’s re ho La of t ar he e th in n A business have
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aamin centre in lahore is a development that rests on the foundations of the experience of a veteran developer that has been active in the construction sector of Pakistan for 30 years. Stretching across an area of around 10 Kanals, it is hands down one of the best mixed-use developments in Pakistan. located in the heart of lahore at the junction of three thoroughfares, i.e. empress road, abbott road and egerton road, the centre is planned to be the precise development the city has been waiting for since 1947. With this project featuring state-of-the-art facilities in
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the central business district of lahore, Zaamin Group intends to give the businessmen of the city a business centre that can take on one of the prestigious business centres in dubai and hold its own.
aMEnitiEs among its many and varied amenities, Zaamin centre also features a high-end, 100-room brand hotel on the top 4 floors that comes complete with restaurants, a banquet hall, conference room and gymnasium. exhibiting a delightful taste for uniqueness, the developer has also planned a revolving restaurant on the top floor.
featured property
The high-rise development features nine storeys of 25,000 square feet each. While the floor area is commendable enough as an all-purpose space, the development also features an array of amenities that facilitate the smooth flow of business and make communication easy for all.
issue with such zeal, you can rest assured that you have placed your investments in the right hands. more than 300 cars can be easily and spaciously accommodated in Zaamin centre’s parking floors, which have two double ramps that facilitate rapid evacuation during rush hours.
WHat’s tHE daMagE? With four floors of shopping area at your service, Zaamin centre holds the potential to become the very shopping destination for which the residents of nearby areas have to visit localities such as Gulberg, defence and cantt. These floors also include food courts, a gymnasium and an entire floor dedicated to entertainment and children’s play areas. The developer has paid specific attention to the parking facilities in the project, and Zaamin centre features three basement floors of parking space. Parking being a rare commodity in lahore’s central business district has led to clogging of the busiest avenues on a daily basis, and when you see a developer who intends to address the
The payment plan for Zaamin centre is easy and facilitating. all you need to do is pay a down payment of 20% at the time of booking and another 10% after two months. after that you are free to choose from monthly to quarterly payment plans for the remaining amount. The developer also offers personalised payment plans to its clients and you can also benefit from the deal if you wish to buy a shop in Zaamin centre. and what’s more, you get a 10% discount on lump sum payment.
Since it doesn’t get any better than this, we highly advise that you pick up the phone and make the call.
location map
Call noW +92-324-8777666 +92-323-9777333
zameen project listing Zameen id: zameen.com/np/179 City: lahore Construction status: under construction
visit www.zameen.com for more information
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featured property
PARAGON CITY
The Parklane Homes in Paragon City are out to redefine luxury living
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aragon city enjoys a prime location along barki road lahore and offers buyers and investors some very convincing reasons to consider the locality seriously. The housing society has ensured international quality infrastructure along with masterful urban planning, a combination that would be truly at home in any league of luxury development in Pakistan. a project of executive builders, Paragon city has smartly introduced various innovative features in the housing sector of Pakistan with which the communal aspects of the society have not at all been ignored but enhanced with several shared facilities meant exclusively for the residents of the society. The project is marketed by Saadain associates, a name well-known and well-reputed in the market.
loCation The location of Paragon city, which many of us might think is far away, is not really a factor since two of the widest,
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smoothest roads in lahore – the lahore ring road and barki road – link the society to important developments and areas of lahore such as allama Iqbal International airport, dha Phases VI, VII and VIII, Green city, askari X, and Imperial Gardens homes. This ensures a quick and uncluttered commute and distance from the city’s overwhelming bustle. The serene surroundings of Paragon city and its enviable location are not the locality’s only attractions, however.
parKlanE HoMEs Within the beautifully planned and developed Paragon city lie the Parklane 5-marla homes, a limited number of which are up for sale. This means that if you wish to be one of the lucky ones to claim your home in this ideal housing society, you need to act fast. We know that property investment decisions cannot be made in haste and one needs all possible details before deciding to invest millions of rupees, and it is our job to make sure that
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when you decide to buy a Parklane home, it is a well-informed decision. So let’s get to it.
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Parklane homes are located in the executive block of Paragon city. These homes have two portions, with a total covered area of 1,721 square feet, 3 bedrooms and attached bathrooms, a powder room, separate drawing and dining rooms, sitting area, kitchen, storeroom, car porch, a backyard and a lawn. Very mindful of the sort of power crises we are facing right now, the developer has also installed uPS wiring in every room with no additional charges. The 5-marla Parklane homes have a beautiful exterior and an interior done in premium finish with the finest quality material. These houses are currently serving as the top choice homes among many astute buyers from Pakistan as well as overseas. for several reasons, including that procuring a home in a secure and well-facilitated housing society is always a safe investment, Parklane homes are the best option for many working class Pakistanis. With a lively ambience with oodles of fun and recreational facilities lined up for
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people from all age groups, you will fall in love with Paragon city as soon as you visit. more than the artistically designed and meticulously maintained landscape, the 5-marla Parklane homes will enchant you with their fine design and astounding finish.
aMEnitiEs Paragon city as a whole is a walled, gated and secured community with underground electricity, solar-powered street lights, a central park, several well-known educational institutes, a fully equipped hospital, active commercial area, mosque, and a community centre that has restaurants, swimming pools, a bowling alley, gym and sauna, banquet hall, guest rooms, billiard and card rooms, conference rooms, and tennis and squash courts. What else would you need?
priCE tag you can avail this limited time offer and book your Parklane home in Paragon city by paying 10% in advance, 15% in the month following it, and the rest in 5 quarterly instalments. also, if you make a lump sum payment, you will earn yourself a discount of 5%. exciting? you betcha.
propErty typE
priCE rangE
5-marla homes
PKr 7,200,000
location map
Call noW +92-42-37165541 +92-42-37165542 +92-324-4886999
zameen project listing Zameen id: zameen.com/np/180 City: lahore Construction status: under construction price: PKr 7,200,000 visit www.zameen.com for more information
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Market report
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hen the annual budget for fy 2014-2015 rolled around and nicely coincided with the traditional slow period in and just before the holy month of ramadan, every expert in the property sector of Pakistan knew that things were going to cool down and sputter back to life again after eid. What not many people had factored in, however, was the sudden escalation of terrorist activity, the consequent largescale military operation in north Waziristan and the resulting
internal displacement of hundreds of thousands of people. The political upheaval upon the arrival in the country of popular cleric mr Tahir-ul-qadri, coupled with the sad events of june 17, 2014 in model Town lahore, did not help the situation any. but this maelstrom of misfortune was met with a characteristically Pakistani response from the country’s real estate sector: unflappable, adaptive and calm. let’s take a closer look at how the market reacted to the developments of the last four months.
OVERVIEW according to Zameen.com’s statistics, a whopping 68.54% of searches for property in pakistan focused on finding plots in June 2014. although this is a downward trend from the start of the year, the consistently high percentage of searches for plots indicates that prices of homes across the country have reached something of a zenith, as the average price for a 5-marla home – the most affordable choice for millions of working class pakistanis – hung around near the rs 8 million to rs 8.5 million mark in June 2014. How many buyers were priced out of the market because of figures like this is anybody’s guess, but the
news was not all sombre. this upward trend in housing prices netted millions for those who invested shrewdly, and the high
demand for plots also contributed to keeping the market stable in the face of the aforementioned renewed instability in pakistan.
LAHORE lahore mirrored, if not exceeded, the overall search trends in Pakistan with most users looking for plots in the country’s second-largest city and cultural hub at the start of the year 2014. for investors and developers who announced new projects around this time, this was especially good news as this monumental increase in demand – up from 75.52% in december 2013 – meant that buyers would be lining up to purchase anything that met the key criteria for a sensible investment.
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however, with the announcement of a string of projects around the outskirts of the provincial capital, this demand was met with more or less adequate supply. for instance, the lahore development authority (lda) announced its largest housing scheme yet, aptly named lda city, which comprises 45,000 kanals of land on the southern peripheries of lahore. defence housing authority (dha)’s upcoming Phase IX – currently seeing sale and purchase activity on plot files – also promised the availability of a great chunk of valuable land in the market sooner rather than later.
Market report
AVG PRICES OF 1-KANAL PLOTS IN LAHORE
one interesting factoid is that the security concerns in Model town, lahore also failed to dent the locality’s land prices, which continued their upward trend despite the events of June 17, 2014 according to Zameen.com’s figures.
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Market report
ANALYSIS lahore’s major residential areas largely absorbed the blow from the fresh instability in the country. Without exception, all four of dHa, Bahria town, Cantt and lda avenue i have shown gains in prices of 1-Kanal plots since March 2014. dHa registered an increase of 3.77% while Bahria town gained 3.08%. on the back of rumours and news that the lahore development authority (lda) is finally going to hand over possession
of plots in lda avenue i, prices for 1-kanal plots in the locality surged 16.11% over the course of March 2014-June 2014. Meanwhile, Cantt – forever short of plots and forever highly in demand – boasted an average price hovering close to rs 30 million per 1-kanal plot in June 2014, which represents a stunning rise that scarcely indicates any sort of crash or slump in the market following the start of the military operation or lahore’s own set of political and security problems.
on the housing front, dha is still playing catch-up with cantt, which had an average sale price of rs 36,420,041 for a 1-kanal home in the first half of 2014, by far the most expensive average price for houses of this size in the city. The consolation prize for dha came in the form of an average rent of rs 125,024 compared to rs 123,651 in cantt, which resulted in a rental yield of 4.38% for dha and 4.14% for cantt. meanwhile, johar Town registered rents that belonged in the big leagues and a rental yield of 5.19%, while bahria Town also saw happy numbers in the housing market in h1 2014, with a 1-kanal home going for rs 26,433,973 on average and a rental yield of 4.10%. doesn’t sounds like a market in trouble, does it?
AVG PRICES OF 1-KANAL HOUSES IN LAHORE IN JUNE 2014 loCality dha lahore cantt johar Town bahria Town 30
zameen.com
avEragE salE priCE 36,223,939 35,520,000 28,981,482 28,062,500
avg MontHly rEnt 136,126 142,585 141,875 80,000
rEntal yiEld 4.50% 4.81% 5.28% 3.42%
Market report
ISLAMABAD The nation’s capital is also a bit of a real estate heaven, given that it is a gorgeous place to call home and offers a variety of investment opportunities. In further proof – if any was required – that where dha goes, dha conquers, Zameen.com’s search trends for june 2014 indicate that dha was the society of choice for property hunters in the federal capital as well, with 22.48% of total plot searches in Islamabad aimed at the locality.
ANALYSIS it might have been the most-searched-for locality in islamabad, but dHa’s prices took a good a hit towards the end of the fiscal year, dropping 9.91% in the March-June 2014 time period. this fate was not dHa’s alone, however, as two other high-flying areas in islamabad were served a bit of humble pie: f-11, the darling of islamabad’s real estate sector, and E11 both saw price drops of 5.55% and 4.98% respectively. this is especially significant for f-11, which has consistently been gaining in value despite the general correction underway in the islamabad property market. looks like it finally got to f-11 as well.
AVG PRICES OF 1-KANAL PLOTS IN ISLAMABAD’S POPULAR LOCALITIES
Conversely, Bahria town and B-17 both saw impressive price rises of 10.70% and 9.85% respectively, indicating that the bottom has not dropped out of the market but investor focus has become narrower over the last few months owing to the correction.
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Market report
AVERAGE PRICES OF 1-KANAL HOUSES IN ISLAMABAD IN H1 2014 loCality f-11 e-11 G-11
avEragE salE priCE 63,147,801 58,858,698 56,418,167
avg MontHly rEnt 193,083 184,885 173,133
rEntal yiEld 3.67% 3.77% 3.69% In Islamabad’s housing market, f-11 still ruled the roost despite feeling the heat from the correction in the market. The average sale price in h1 2014 for a 1-kanal home in this upscale neighbourhood was rs 63,147,801, while the average monthly rent was rs 193,083, resulting in a rental yield of 3.67%. despite the considerable difference in prices between Sectors f-11 and e-11, the latter boasted an impressive monthly rent of rs 184,885 and a rental yield of 3.77%. rounding up our table for h1 2014 was Sector G-11, which posted an average sale price for a 1-kanal home of rs 56,418,167 and an average rent of rs 173,133. The sector’s rental yield for h1 2014 was 3.69%.
KARACHI Zameen.com’s search trends for Karachi showed even more domination of dha than in the other two major cities following the introduction of dha city into the mix, at least when it came to plots. With massive advertisement declaring dha city the first-ever sustainable city of Pakistan, the project has lately emerged as a highly attractive investment option for local as well as overseas investors. although the project was announced a few years ago, it laid low for a while before deciding to unleash the goodies it holds for its future dwellers and potential investors.
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Market report
ANALYSIS in Karachi, with the exception of the mighty dHa, most of the popular localities saw upward trends in June heading into ramadan, which was especially encouraging news since ramadan heralds a generally slow period which begins to reverse itself around Eid. the added pressure on Karachi because of the June 9 attack on the airport and the instability that followed was not reflected in the numbers, which continued to rise for the most part. prices for 1-kanal plots in dHa dropped ever so slightly, 1.13%, in June 2014, but it was in dHa City where the real gains were made. onekanal plots in dHa City gained a strong 27.19% in value over the March-June 2014 time period, resulting in an average price of rs 3,777,217 in June 2014. this should be an indication for investors to pay more attention to dHa City, which looks to be riding the train towards real estate greatness. Elsewhere in Karachi, gulshan-e-iqbal managed healthy gains from March to June 2014 and posted a 12.82% increase in average prices of 1-kanal plots. similarly, gulistan-e-Jauhar – on the back of increasing demand for plots that are in limited supply – boasted an 18.89% increase in prices of 1-kanal chunks of land.
aVeraGe PrIceS of 1-Kanal PloTS In KarachI'S PoPular localITeS tHE final Word Search trends as well as numbers from property markets across Pakistan seem to be spelling out one simple truth: the real estate sector’s resilience should never be underestimated. “We’re one tough nation, and our economy – particularly its real estate sector – is mirroring our steadfastness in the face of all this adversity that has come our way lately,” Zameen.com ceo mr Zeeshan ali Khan said. “on the basis of the numbers we are seeing, I think it would be prudent to say that 2014 is not going to turn out to be a lowactivity year. relative to 2013, there may be a few things that could have gone better, but so far, this year has been a tumultuous one for the country as a whole, and I’m pleased to see that this hasn’t at least been translated into the real estate sector of Pakistan,” he added.
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feature story
Dream Garden
3
SAMRA ZULFIQAR
H
aving a garden in your home and neglecting to make it your own little piece of eden should be a punishable offence, especially when it requires just a little bit of effort and not too much of a budget.
as the term dIy (do It yourself) suggests, much of it can be done on your own. for those of us who are a little unfortunate in the garden area but blessed with a nice terrace and/or rooftop, the desire to have a green, shady and fresh outdoor space of your own can still be fulfilled. So let’s discuss how you can make your garden as beautiful as it should be while spending as little as you possibly can.
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Build your oWn gardEn patH
The items needed for this are: n n n n
a log cut in thin, round slices of even width a spade a rubber mallet Water
even out the part of your lawn that you want to be used as the entrance. Shower it with lot of water so that the soil gets soft and ready to firmly hold the log slices. once wet and soft enough, place these slices randomly next to each other after removing the grass with the spade, and step on them to make them dig nicely into the ground. next, hammer them with the rubber mallet to give them an even appearance. let them all set for a couple of days in sunlight and your awesome new path leading to the summer garden is ready.
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Build a trEEHousE for fEatHErEd friEnds
This one is simple. The stuff you’ll needed for this is: n n n n n n
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plywood saw Hammer nails paint glue
zameen.com
1
feature story cut the plywood into seven 10×10-inch pieces. cut a round 3-inch hole in one of the pieces and a 10mm hole in another. Stick together 5 of these with glue to make a box with a base but no top, with the pieces with holes making the front and back panels once you have sawed them to the appropriate slant. use the remaining two pieces to form the slanting roof top. Glue the top with the box. Paint this small house in your favourite colours and hammer a thick 4-inch steel nail in the trunk of the strongest tree in your garden. It should be a bit high off the ground so that the birds aren’t scared away. mount the bird house on this nail, make sure it is placed strongly and won’t fall down during a storm. Viola, you now have your own bird motel.
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dECoratE tHE CornErs
just like all walled areas, the corners of a garden can, too, serve as quite an attention-grabber. The items needed for this one are: n n n n n n
rocks and boulders of various sizes and shapes plant containers in various sizes garden pots of various shapes and sizes vines, floral plants Colourful bottles, glass jars Hanging lights, bulb holders
Place the plant containers next to each other with smaller containers placed on the front and cover the space between and around these containers with boulders and pebbles. fill up the bigger containers with earth and bury the colourful bottles and glass jars halfway in. use the garden pots to plant saplings and place them randomly around the boulders. on the wall behind this corner, place more pots with saplings and vines hanging downwards. use the wall and plant branches to hang bulb holders. you can also use small lights with good dispersion to give this corner a soothing glow in the evening.
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fEnCE tHE floWEr BEds
What you’ll need:
n n
pieces of bamboo of various sizes rubber mallet
Wooden fences around flower beds look awesome. Instead of placing pebbles or digging the bed floor deeper and/or planting grass around it, you can use small pieces of bamboo to form a sort of boundary. all you need for this is some bamboo pieces of varied sizes and lengths, which you can nail into the ground using the rubber mallet. Place them loosely against each other to form this neat little boundary for the perfect look.
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Samra Zulfiqar is the Assistant Editor at Zameen Media (Pvt) Ltd.
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feature story
WHY YOU SHOULD
HIRE AN ARCHITECT
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feature story
AHSEN GHUFRAN KHAN
t
he stunning homes you see in glossy magazines or as you roll by the upscale localities of your city are almost always custom-designed by licenced architects. Those eye-catching dwellings are the unique creations of gifted men and women who have spent years honing their skills to masterful levels and developing the knowledge necessary to confidently explore new possibilities. So if you are dreaming of a home that is far from ordinary, I suggest you hire an architect to help you out. money is hard to come-by these days, and with the rising prices of real estate, building a house requires a lot more sweat and tears than some really good business deals. So when it comes time to build a house with this extremely hardearned money, perhaps the right design should find a place on the top of the list. not only will a good design raise the value of the house you are building, but it will also prove to be costeffective because you will save tons on utility bills and it will add to the general level of comfort in your new home. These are only some of the great things that come with an architect designing your home, and that is precisely what faisal associates promise you. apart from the complete development of a house, you can also hire an architect or design professional for large additions or whole-house renovations – for perhaps a new kitchen or to add a new room to your house. We are recommending faisal associates because as it happens, they have actually renovated an entire factory and turned it into a functioning university building. The building in which the university of management and Technology (umT) Sialkot campus is housed today is actually a renovated football factory. bet you didn’t know that! now a design professional or an architectural firm can not only give you the precise cost estimates of your future residence, they can also make sure that the aesthetic considerations meld
with the structural requirements of the project and that the space is both liveable and aesthetically pleasing. When you think liveability and aesthetically pleasing designs, bilawal house in bahria Town lahore comes to mind. bilawal house comprises three squares, namely the residential block, Secretariat block and annexe, and the veteran architects of faisal associates executed the development and design of the Secretariat block. as a result, they are widely recommended by bahria Town and even malik riaz himself! The interior as always as important as the exterior of the house, if not more so, and while the latter may look pleasing to the passers-by, the interior spells comfort for you. hiring an architect ensures that your house is designed in a contemporary way and if the same architect turns out to be a design pro as well, you can successfully take down two birds with one stone. most people ask themselves why they would need an architect when the family thekaydar or raj is competent enough, and why they would spend a hefty sum on a design that anyone could pull o the internet. Interestingly, when it comes to designing a house, there is always more to what meets the eye. Granted that anyone can sit down and come up with a rudimentary design, but ensuring that the house is in harmony with its surroundings, the climate of the area it is being built in, and the needs of those that will inhabit it is not something just anyone can do. This is something only a professional architect can do for you. Given our climate and the energy crises that envelope our country, it is only a professional architect who can design and position your house in such a way that it will keep cool in the scorching summer heat even in the absence of electricity. hiring an architect is a one-time investment which gives you lifelong benefits. This investment that most people are scared of making can actually turn out to be a blessing in the long run when it saves money on utility bills and renovations. as the saying goes, a stitch in time saves nine! Ahsen Ghufran Khan is a Communications Executive at Zameen Media (Pvt) Ltd
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feature story
ElEctrical
Wiring for your HoME ZAIN NADEEM
C
onsidering the menace of power outages currently plaguing the country, this piece should have contained a few well-placed knockout punches, with a nice tirade ridiculing the authorities concerned for the suffering of Pakistanis across the board. but let’s not enter into that fray here, because our electronic media seems be doing that job well enough on its own, so we’ll focus on electrical wiring in our homes instead.
preferred option for electrical wiring.
flExiBility When wiring a house, you need the electrical cords to be flexible enough to allow you to bend them easily, and around several things. copper is not brittle in its structure, and it is highly unlikely that it would break or crack upon bending.
MElting point When wiring a house there are many options to choose from, but it is always better to use high-grade cables because compromising on the quality of electrical wiring may lead to irreversible losses, God forbid. you will find cheaper cables with aluminium cores in the market, but experts always recommend copper wires which are more conductive and less risky. When buying a home or building a new one, ensure that you have copper wiring in place. let’s take a look at why copper wire is always recommended and what its benefits are.
BEttEr ConduCtivity electrical conductivity refers to the ability of a material to transport electrical charge, and copper has a better ability to transfer electrical charge as compared to many other metals, which makes it a good conductor and a
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If you are really conscious about fire safety, copper is the right material to use in electrical wiring, as it takes a lot to melt a copper wire. It is also likely that the copper wire will not burn or melt easily if it gets overloaded.
WirEs usEd in HoMEs Generally, single-core cables with core sizes ranging between 1mm2 to 16mm2, and wrapped in Polyvinyl chloride (PVc), are used in homes.
feature story
CorE siZE (MM2)
ratE (rs pEr 90-MEtrE rolE)
1
1,900
4
5,500
6
8,000
10
13,500
16
20,200
Disclaimer: These prices are estimates and may vary from one manufacturer to another.
one mm 2 cables are usually used to power fans, tubelights, and other small electrical appliances. four mm 2 to 6mm 2 thick cables are used to electrify air conditioners and other similar appliances that require high voltage to run. Ten mm 2 to 16mm 2 thick wires are used in mains from transformers.
priCEs The following table will give you an idea of the average prices of high quality electric cables by core size.
staying safE If done wrong, the hazards of electrical wiring can God forbid be disastrous. So, better safe than sorry. following are some useful things to look out for when buying or renting a house in order to make sure that you are protected from the hazards of electrical shocks and frayed wiring: n
check that the switches, wires, and sockets do not show any signs of damage and are not cracked or burnt.
n
be sure that you don’t have any naked wires in your home, and if you find any, be sure to wrap them up in electric tape immediately.
n
The consumer unit, i.e. the fuse box of your house, should have a wooden casing. If the casing is made of cast iron, it is a warning sign for you to change it straightaway.
remember, not all electrical mishaps are caused by faults – sometimes it is negligent behaviour that is to blame. So, try stick to the following simple rules: n
ensure that you are not overloading any sockets.
n
do not attempt to repair electrical appliances yourself.
n
avoid touching electrical appliances, switches or sockets with wet hands.
n
ensure that electrical appliances from overseas match the voltage and other electric specifications of the sockets you are plugging them in.
n
don’t let children operate any electrical appliances.
Zain Nadeem is a Communications Executive at Zameen Media (Pvt) Ltd.
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