Guide
Shah Latif Town Scheme 25-A: Sectors, Status and Verification
By Maham Imtiaz
Real Estate AnalystVerified author
10 min read
Shah Latif Town is the more developed of the Malir Development Authority's two big plot schemes, and one of the cheapest places to own land in Karachi. It sits along the National Highway between Quaidabad and Port Qasim, with small residential plots of 60 to 120 square yards, low-cost flats and bungalows. MDA reports its overall development at 90%, well ahead of Taiser Town. Yet some of its sectors have spent years fighting encroachment, and the FBR still lists it as a "KDA" scheme decades after it moved to MDA.
That gap between label and authority is the first thing a buyer must sort out. Our guide on how to verify property in Karachi explains that title has to be confirmed with the body that holds the land record today, and for Shah Latif Town that is MDA, whatever the older papers say.
This guide covers the scheme's history, size and development status, what is known about its sectors, the encroachment record, official values, and how to verify a Shah Latif Town plot before paying.
Shah Latif Town at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Official name | Shah Latif Town, Scheme 25-A |
| Original scheme | KDA Scheme 25 |
| Current authority | Malir Development Authority (MDA) |
| Location | Along the National Highway (N-5), near Quaidabad, Landhi, Steel Town and Port Qasim, Malir district |
| Area | 117.6 million square feet, about 2,700 acres |
| Residential plots | About 20,582 |
| Plot sizes | 60, 80 and 120 square yards |
| Other units | 615 flats, 90 shops, 659 bungalows of 80, 120 and 160 square yards, economy flats in a second phase |
| Overall development | 90%, as reported by MDA |
| Building approvals | SBCA |
From KDA Scheme 25 to MDA Scheme 25-A
| Period | Event |
|---|---|
| 1965 to late 1970s | Planned by KDA as Scheme 25; sources give different dates for the scheme's start |
| 1993 | MDA created; KDA says Shah Latif Town was among the schemes transferred to it |
| 2001 to 2011 | MDA folded into the city government, then revived |
| 2010 | Residents' association says about 300 plots across several sectors are encroached |
| October 2021 | MDA auctions 38 commercial plots of 50 to 800 square yards |
| December 2022 | Sindh High Court directs the Sindh government and MDA to clear encroachment in Sector 18 |
| March 2024 | MDA tells the High Court it has no land for fresh allocation and works on three schemes, including Shah Latif Town |
Because the scheme started under KDA, older allotment papers, leases and even the FBR's valuation table may still carry KDA's name. The transfer chain should run from the KDA-era allotment into MDA's record, and MDA is the office that confirms it.
Development status
MDA's official Shah Latif Town Scheme 25-A page reports the scheme's progress service by service.
| Service | MDA-reported status | What it means for buyers |
|---|---|---|
| Overall physical progress | 90% | Most sectors usable |
| Roads | 100%, mostly surface-dressed and motorable | Access generally available |
| Water supply | 100%, functional once the bulk supply system is completed | Confirm actual supply in the sector |
| Sewerage | 100%, functional | Check the specific street |
| Storm water drainage | 100%, functional | Better than most outer schemes |
| Electricity | K-Electric | Confirm connection on the plot |
| Gas | SSGC | Confirm connection on the plot |
The figures are MDA's own and describe the scheme as a whole. A buyer should confirm water, power and gas at the specific plot rather than rely on scheme-wide percentages.
What is known about the sectors
Shah Latif Town is divided into numbered and lettered sectors, each with its own markets and parks. MDA does not publish a sector-by-sector status list. The table below is built from court orders, official reports and public records.
| Sector | What the record shows |
|---|---|
| 17-D | Home to the FAST National University campus |
| 18 | Allottees told the High Court that land grabbers occupied their plots; court ordered encroachment cleared in December 2022 |
| 30-A | Residents said a High Court order on encroachment had not been followed, in 2010 |
| 31-E and others | Plots traded on the open market; status must be checked individually |
| Sector A (Mangal Bazar area) | Built-up area that appears as an address in official records |
| All other sectors | No public status list; check with MDA |
Sector names in Shah Latif Town are easy to confuse, and a plot number can repeat across sectors. Our guide on how to verify a property's location before paying a token explains how to match the sector and plot number to the ground.
The encroachment record
Encroachment has been Shah Latif Town's main problem for more than 15 years.
| Year | What happened |
|---|---|
| 2010 | About 300 plots in several sectors reported occupied; residents protested at the Karachi Press Club and accused officials of involvement |
| 2010 | Residents said a High Court order on Sector 30-A had been ignored |
| 2015 | A national newspaper reported that some plots sold decades earlier had still not been handed over |
| December 2022 | High Court said its earlier orders on Sector 18 had not been followed and gave the government and MDA three weeks for a compliance report |
Allottees in Sector 18 told the court that MDA had provided neither removal of encroachment nor substitute plots. The record suggests that, in affected sectors, a court order alone does not guarantee physical possession.
What official values show
The FBR's 2024 Karachi valuation table still lists the scheme as "Shah Latif Town Scheme-25 KDA".
| FBR row | Residential open plot, per sq ft | Commercial open plot, per sq ft | Flats, per sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shah Latif Town Scheme-25 KDA | Rs500 | Rs900 | Rs950 |
| Quaidabad | Rs700 | Rs1,500 | Rs1,250 |
| Bin Qasim (Pipri, excluding Gulshan-e-Hadeed) | Rs700 | Rs1,500 | Rs1,250 |
| Gulshan-e-Hadeed | Rs1,100 | Rs4,250 | Rs1,700 |
| Landhi Township, KDA | Rs1,100 | Rs4,250 | Rs1,700 |
Shah Latif Town carries the lowest residential value among its neighbours. Stamp duty, capital value tax and advance tax are calculated on these official values, so transaction costs here are lower than in nearby areas.
How to verify a Shah Latif Town plot
- Confirm MDA holds the file. Even if the papers say KDA, MDA now holds the record for Scheme 25-A.
- Get the allotment details. Sector, plot number, size and allotment number.
- Check the transfer chain from the original allottee, including any KDA-era transfers, with MDA.
- Ask for a dues statement and clear dues before any transfer.
- Confirm possession. Ask MDA whether a possession order has been issued for the plot.
- Visit the plot and confirm it is vacant, demarcated and matches the sector map.
- Check court cases for the sector, especially Sectors 18 and 30-A.
- For a house or flat, confirm the SBCA-approved plan and completion plan.
Our guide to the Malir and Lyari development authorities explains how MDA's records and offices are organised.
What the numbers show: Milkiyat.com findings
Shah Latif Town is denser than Taiser Town. 20,582 plots ÷ 2,700 acres = about 7.6 residential plots per acre, against about 5.4 in Taiser Town on MDA's smaller area figure.
A 120-yard plot is worth about Rs540,000 on paper. 120 square yards = 1,080 square feet × Rs500 = Rs540,000. A 60-yard plot: 540 × Rs500 = Rs270,000.
The same plot in Gulshan-e-Hadeed is valued over twice as high. 1,080 × Rs1,100 = Rs1,188,000; Rs1,188,000 ÷ Rs540,000 = 2.2 times.
Shah Latif Town is valued at about 71% of Taiser Town. Rs500 ÷ Rs700 = about 71% of Taiser Town's residential rate.
Commercial land is valued at 1.8 times residential. Rs900 ÷ Rs500 = 1.8 times, a narrower gap than in most Karachi areas.
The 2010 encroachment claim covered about 1.5% of plots. 300 ÷ 20,582 = about 1.5%, concentrated in particular sectors rather than spread across the scheme.
MDA reports Shah Latif Town 20 points ahead of Taiser Town. 90% overall progress against 70%: 20 percentage points.
Checklist before you pay
| Check | Where |
|---|---|
| MDA holds the file | MDA land department |
| Allotment and transfer chain, including KDA-era papers | MDA |
| Dues statement and clearance | MDA |
| Possession order | MDA |
| Plot vacant and demarcated | Site visit |
| No court case on the sector | Sindh High Court |
| Utilities connected | K-Electric, SSGC, water corporation |
| Approved plan for a built unit | SBCA |
Frequently asked questions
Q1. Who runs Shah Latif Town?
A. The Malir Development Authority. It was first planned by KDA as Scheme 25 and is now MDA's Scheme 25-A.
Q2. What plot sizes are in Shah Latif Town?
A. MDA lists residential plots of 60, 80 and 120 square yards, plus flats, shops and bungalows of 80, 120 and 160 square yards.
Q3. Is Shah Latif Town developed?
A. MDA reports 90% overall progress, with roads, water, sewerage and drainage listed as complete, water subject to the bulk supply system.
Q4. Why do some papers say KDA?
A. The scheme began as KDA Scheme 25 before moving to MDA, and the FBR's valuation table still uses the KDA name. Verify with MDA.
Q5. Which sectors have had encroachment problems?
A. Court records and reports name Sectors 18 and 30-A, and residents reported about 300 encroached plots across several sectors in 2010. Check any sector with MDA before buying.
Q6. Is MDA allotting new plots in Shah Latif Town?
A. MDA told the Sindh High Court in 2024 that it has no land for fresh allocation. Treat any "new allotment" offer with caution.
Q7. What is the official value of a Shah Latif Town plot?
A. The FBR values residential open plots at Rs500 per square foot and commercial open plots at Rs900.
This guide is for general information. Scheme status, sector conditions and procedures change, and buyers should verify every allotment, possession order and approval directly with MDA, SBCA and a qualified lawyer before paying.