Saudi Arabia’s New Municipal Rules Spark Concern in Qatif

Saudi Arabia: New Municipal Regulations and Demolition Campaigns Raise Concerns in Qatif and Shia-Majority Areas

Shiite News: New municipal regulations introduced by authorities in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, including the mandatory Certificate of Compliance program for residential and commercial buildings and additional administrative measures related to property ownership, have sparked widespread concern among local residents, particularly in the Shia-majority areas of Qatif and its surrounding towns.

Critics argue that these measures extend beyond ordinary urban development and may represent an effort to reshape the region’s religious and social landscape.

According to the Eastern Province Municipality, more than 4,563 inspections have been carried out so far, with authorities warning of fines and demolition measures against buildings that fail to meet the new compliance requirements.

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Local residents and human rights advocates say the new regulations will place an additional financial burden on small business owners and property owners with limited resources.

At the same time, new demolition and land-clearing campaigns are reportedly being prepared in Qatif, Awamiyah, Safwa, and Al-Awjam. Owners of agricultural land have been instructed to submit ownership documents immediately, raising concerns among local residents that the move could pave the way for government acquisition of land and religious endowments (awqaf).

Critics describe these measures as part of a policy aimed at dispersing the Shia population, weakening Qatif’s social and cultural identity, and encouraging demographic changes by shifting residents toward Sunni-majority areas.