Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy outlines how markaz.pk manages and protects your personal information. It also provides further details about our company. By accessing our websites, using our apps, or engaging with our products or services, you agree to the terms of this policy. This includes your consent for us to collect, use, and disclose your personal information as described herein. Whether you are a new user or a long-time customer, we encourage you to read and understand our privacy practices.

 

Who we are

The markaz.pk is owned and operated by Griphens Technologies.

We provide a variety of data-driven products and services, which include our websites and apps. We are an active participant in the property marketplace, where data related to property transactions is collected, shared, and utilized by various participants. These participants include consumers, real estate agents, financial institutions, government entities, and other organizations with a vested interest in the Pakistani property market.

 

Application of Privacy Policy

The markaz.pk operates primarily in Pakistan, and our services are subject to the privacy and data protection laws of this jurisdiction. If we collect personal information related to residents of the EU or California, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) will apply, respectively.

 

How to contact us

You can reach our Privacy Officer using the contact details below:

 

Privacy Officer
Griphens Technologies
2-F-1/B-38, Sector F, DHA 1 Islamabad
Pakistan 46000

Email: privacy@markaz.pk

 

What information we collect

Personal information

Personal information refers to any details that can identify an individual. This includes but is not limited to your name, age, gender, contact details (phone number, email address), and insights generated about identifiable individuals. If any information we collect can personally identify you or make you reasonably identifiable, it is considered personal information.

 

Contact information
When you engage with our products or services, we may collect contact details such as your name, business and/or residential address, email address, phone number, age and/or date of birth, profession, occupation or job title, and gender. The specific information we collect will depend on the particular product or service you are utilizing.

 

Transaction information
Transaction information encompasses details about your interactions with us, including the products and services you have purchased or inquired about, as well as your usage of these products and services. It also includes any additional information required to deliver these products and services to you or to address your inquiries.

 

Financial information
Financial information refers to details about your assets and financial situation (e.g., home loan information) and may also include payment information, such as direct debit or credit card details, used to process payments for our products and services.

 

Location information
We collect location data when you use our products and services, which may include information provided by a mobile device or other device interacting with our websites or apps, as well as data linked to your IP address or device identifier. Additionally, we may gather your location through the provision of your postcode or address.

 

Property information
We collect information related to properties in Pakistan, which may include property attributes (e.g., number of bedrooms, bathrooms, and car spaces), property type (e.g., house or unit), estimated property value, sales and rental history, and owner details. Additionally, property images and videos may be collected.

 

Identification information
In certain cases, we may collect identification documents from you (e.g., CNIC or passport) solely for verification purposes.

 

Activity and cookies
When you visit our websites or use our apps, we or our business partners may collect information about your usage of those platforms (usage data). This may be done through the use of cookies and other tracking technologies. The data collected helps us provide a more personalized, efficient, and effective service, track the products and services you use, analyze trends, measure transaction and search patterns, manage our website, diagnose issues, test and improve product and service quality, gather demographic insights, and conduct targeted online advertising.

You have the option to manage the use of cookies on your computer or mobile device. If you prefer not to receive cookies, you can configure your browser to block them. Additionally, you can clear cookies from your browser or device at any time. However, please note that blocking cookies may impact your browsing experience and result in certain services not functioning as smoothly or effectively as intended.

The usage data collected via cookies is generally not personally identifiable. However, if it is linked to personal information, it may become personally identifiable usage data. In such cases, we will treat this data as personal information and handle it in accordance with our Privacy Policy, the Privacy Act, and other relevant data protection legislation.

 

Profile information and insights
We collect profile information, which may include:

• Information you provide directly to us through your use of our products or services.
• Information you share with us through our service center, customer surveys, or during visits from our representatives.
• Information or insights generated about you based on your use of our products or services (e.g., whether you are a renter or a buyer).

 

Metadata
You can access our website without providing any personal information. In such cases, we collect metadata generated from your usage of the website, which may include details such as browser type and version, operating system and interface, the website from which you are visiting (referrer URL), the webpages you visit on our site, the date and time of access, and your internet protocol (IP) address.

We use this data to enhance the quality and services of our website by analyzing user behavior in an anonymized form, as well as to prevent fraud, protect our IT systems, and ensure physical, IT, and network security.

Additionally, we may use the metadata to personalize online advertising and other marketing content that you receive from us.

 

How we collect your information

Directly from You

We collect your personal information directly from you, unless it is unreasonable or impractical to do so. This may occur through the following methods:

• When you use, contact, or request information from us, including via our websites, apps, online forms, surveys, and emails.
• Through your interactions with our staff and representatives.
• When you complete an application or make an enquiry regarding a listing.
• When you correspond with us, including via hard copy forms.

 

Indirectly from Others

We may also collect personal information about you from third parties, including:

• Our related bodies corporate.
• Joint applicants, co-applicants, or guarantors as part of acquiring our products or services.
• Your representatives, such as solicitors, conveyancers, builders, or agents.
• Our service providers.
• Referral partners (e.g., those who refer your business to us or whom we refer your business to).
• Existing or potential customers or clients, including real estate agents, financial institutions (e.g., banks), and other business partners.
• Credit reporting bodies.
• Law enforcement agencies and other government entities.
• Organizations and entities identified under the “Who We Share Your Information With and Why” section below, including our related entities.
• Publicly available sources of information.
• Advertisers.
• Recruitment agencies.
• Contractors and business partners.
• Third parties who provide us with your information (e.g., a real estate agent or bank).
• When legally required to do so.

You may be required to provide personal information about other individuals, such as joint applicants, co-applicants, guarantors, authorized representatives, or the contact details of your accountant or solicitor. In such cases, we rely on you to inform these individuals that you are sharing their personal information with us, to ensure they consent to their information being provided, and to make them aware of this Privacy Policy. Additionally, you should advise them that they can contact us for further information (see “How to contact us”).

 

From your use of our products and services

We collect information about you when you use our products and services. For instance, we may gather usage analytics regarding when and how you interact with our products and services. Additionally, we may generate and collect insights based on your usage patterns to better understand and improve your experience.

 

What happens if we can’t collect your personal information

Providing your personal information is often necessary to access and use our products and services. If you choose not to provide the personal information outlined in this Privacy Policy, some or all of the following may occur:

• We may not be able to provide you with the products or services you requested, either at the same standard or at all.
• We may not be able to maintain our sales or other business relationship with you.
• We may be unable to provide you with information about products and services you may be interested in, including details about discounts, sales, or special promotions.
• We may not be able to personalize the content of our network to your preferences, which could result in a less enjoyable or useful experience.

 

How we use your information

To provide our products and services

We collect and use your information to:

• Provide you with products and services and deliver the best possible customer experience by understanding your needs.
• Offer you news, information, or advice about our existing and new products and services, including for marketing and targeted online advertising (see the “For Marketing” section below).
• Communicate with you, including but not limited to email, mail, SMS, telephone, or app notifications.
• Manage and enhance our products and services, including research and development.
• Personalize and customize your experience.
• Grant you access to protected areas of our websites.
• Conduct competitions or promotions, including on behalf of third parties.
• Verify your identity.
• Assist in the approval or provision of a product or service, including assessing your suitability for our offerings.
• Perform business processing functions related to the operation of our websites, apps, or business.
• Manage our sales and business relationships with you.
• Handle administrative, promotional, planning, product/service development, quality control, and research purposes for us or our contractors, external service providers, or business partners.
• Provide your updated personal information to us, our contractors, external service providers, or business partners.
• Administer and manage payment services, including the recovery of any amounts owed to us.
• Investigate any complaints made by or about you, or if we suspect a breach of our terms and conditions or any unlawful activity.
• Comply with any other legal requirements or permissions.

 

For marketing

We may collect, use, and disclose your personal information for marketing purposes, including sending you communications about our products and services, as well as those of our business partners that may interest you. These communications may be sent via mail, phone, SMS, social media, email, app notifications, and advertising through our apps, websites, or third-party websites.

You have the option to opt-out of receiving direct marketing communications at any time by contacting us directly (see “How to Contact Us”), following the unsubscribe instructions in the relevant communication, updating your personal details in your account profile, or adjusting the notification settings on your device.

If you receive communications from us that you believe were sent in violation of this Privacy Policy or any applicable law, please contact us immediately (see the “How to contact us” section).

Your personal information will only be shared or disclosed as outlined in this Privacy Policy or as permitted by law.

 

To develop insights

We use your information to generate insights about individuals, which may be shared with third parties or used internally within our business. Additionally, we may aggregate your information with that of others to create statistical data or other business insights.

 

Who we share your information with and why

We may disclose your personal information to third parties in the course of operating our business and for one or more of the purposes outlined above. These third parties include:

• Joint applicants, co-applicants, or guarantors as part of acquiring our products or services.
• Your representatives, such as solicitors, conveyancers, builders, or agents.
• Our employees, related bodies corporate, business partnerships, and joint venture entities.
• Our external service providers, including but not limited to web hosting providers, third-party marketing platforms (including social media), advertisers, IT system administrators, mailing houses, couriers, payment processors, data entry service providers, electronic network administrators, debt collectors, and professional advisers (e.g., accountants, solicitors, business advisors, and consultants).
• Existing or potential customers or clients, which may include real estate agents, financial institutions (e.g., banks), government entities, and other business partners.
• Our sponsors or promoters of any competitions we conduct or promote via our services.
• Specific third parties authorized by you to receive information held by us.
• The police, relevant government authorities or enforcement bodies, or your Internet Service Provider or network administrator, in cases where we have reason to suspect that you have breached our Conditions of Use or engaged in unlawful activity, and reasonably believe that disclosure is necessary.
• As required or permitted by law (including the Privacy Act or applicable laws in the countries where we operate).

 

Your rights in relation to your information

Accessing your personal information

You may request access to the personal information we hold about you by contacting us (see "How to contact us"). We will respond to your request within a reasonable timeframe and provide access in the manner you have requested, if it is reasonable to do so. There is no charge for making a request or for correcting or updating your personal information.

However, depending on the nature and scope of the personal information you request, and as permitted by law, we may charge a reasonable fee for providing access. If you make an access request, we may ask you to verify your identity.

In certain instances, for legal reasons, we may not be able to grant access to your personal information. For example, we may need to deny access if it would interfere with the privacy of others or result in a breach of confidentiality. If we are unable to provide access, we will provide you with written reasons for the refusal.

 

Correcting your personal information

We take reasonable steps to ensure that the personal information we collect, hold, use, and disclose is accurate, complete, and up-to-date. However, the accuracy of this information depends largely on what you provide to us.

If you believe that the personal information, we hold about you is incorrect, incomplete, or inaccurate, you may request that we amend it. We will review your request and determine if the information needs to be amended. If we do not agree that an amendment is necessary, we will add a note to your personal information indicating that you disagree with its accuracy. We will also provide you with written reasons for any refusal.

Members of our website may have the ability to access and update their details online. We encourage you to keep your information current to help us continue improving the services we provide to you.

 

Deleting your personal information

You may contact us to request the deletion of your personal information or to delete your account by emailing us at accounts@markaz.pk. We will respond to your request within a reasonable period.

 

Complaints

If you believe your privacy has been breached by us, or if you have any feedback, questions, or concerns about our Privacy Policy or privacy practices, please contact us (see "How to contact us") and provide details of the incident so that we can investigate it.

We have a process in place to investigate and address privacy breaches. Once the Privacy Officer receives your complaint, they will initiate an investigation in collaboration with the relevant business unit where the alleged breach occurred. The investigation will aim to determine the nature and cause of the breach. We may contact you during this process if further clarification is needed. If a breach is identified, the Privacy Officer will work with senior management to rectify the issue and prevent any future breaches. We will also inform you of the outcome of the investigation and make every effort to resolve it within a reasonable timeframe.

We will treat your requests or complaints confidentially. Our representatives may contact you after receiving your complaint to discuss your concerns and provide options for resolution. We are committed to resolving your complaint in a timely and appropriate manner.

If you are not satisfied with the outcome of your complaint, or if you believe your privacy has been violated, you may contact our office again (see "How to contact us").

 

Information transfers outside Pakistan

We may disclose your personal information to entities located overseas for some or all of the purposes outlined above. This may include disclosure to the following entities:

• Members of markaz.pk operating overseas, our related bodies corporate, partnerships, and joint venture entities.
• Our data hosting and Cloud-based IT service providers.
• Other external service providers, including those located in Germany, UK, and US.

We take reasonable steps to ensure that the overseas recipients of your personal information adhere to privacy obligations and provide comparable safeguards to protect your information. However, these overseas recipients may be required to disclose the information we provide to them under foreign laws. In such cases, we will not be responsible for that disclosure.

EU Residents: If the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) applies to any of the personal information we collect, the GDPR Addendum applies to that information. For the purposes of the GDPR, we are the 'controller' of your personal data.

California Residents: If the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) applies to any of the personal information we collect, the CCPA Notice and Policy will apply to that information.

 

Other important details

Our Privacy Collection Statement

Under the Privacy Act, we are required to inform you of certain matters. This Privacy Policy serves as our Privacy Collection Statement and covers the following:

• Our identity and contact details.
• The facts and circumstances surrounding the collection of your personal information, including the purposes for which it is collected.
• The consequences for you if we are unable to collect your personal information.
• Other entities, bodies, or persons to whom your personal information is typically disclosed.
• Information about how you can access and correct your personal information, as well as how to lodge a complaint regarding how we handle your personal information.
• Likely cross-border disclosures of your personal information.

In some cases, we may provide a Privacy Collection Statement at the point of collection. If this occurs, the Privacy Collection Statement presented at that time should be read in conjunction with this Privacy Policy.

 

Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites. We make no representations or warranties regarding the privacy practices of these third-party websites, and we are not responsible for their privacy policies or content. Third-party websites are responsible for informing you about their own privacy practices.

 

How we manage updates

We may periodically review and update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in laws, technology, and/or our operations. All personal information we hold will be governed by the most current version of this Privacy Policy. Any updates will be posted on our website. This Privacy Policy was last updated on 12 March 2025.