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SC imposes ban on transfer of land by patwarkhanas in urban areas

SC imposes ban on transfer of land by patwarkhanas in urban areas
January 3, 2019
ISLAMABAD (92 News) – The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Thursday imposed a ban on transfer of urban land by patwaris across Punjab. Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar heard the suo motu case on record tampering and corruption at patwarkhanas. During the hearing, the apex court ordered sale and purchase of urban land only through sale deed and banned the role of Patwaris transferring land. The chief justice said that no land would now be transferred orally as being practised by patwaris. He remarked that the government wouldn’t get a penny if patwarkhanas were ordered to close. The Punjab government counsel said that transfer of land was conducted orally in rural cities of the province. “What if we ban the sale and purchase of land through this means”, asked the CJP. “The world had taken to the moon, but we couldn’t even get our record computerized,” the chief justice regretted. He questioned the existence of patwarkhanas in urban areas where land revenue’s documentation was already on the record. Justice Ijazul Ahsan questioned the transparency of the land records system. Later, the top court imposed a ban on oral transfer of land and ordered that land would be sold only through registered sale deed. “We don’t need a patwari system, now land will be transferred only through proper registration,” the top judge concluded. On December 3 – in earlier hearing – Justice Nisar had remarked that no serious efforts had been made for urbanisation. “According to which law is the patwar circle functioning [when the Punjab Land Revenue Authority had already been established],” inquired the chief justice. – CJP gives deadline for preparing population control plan – Hearing suo motu notice of the unchecked population growth in the country, Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar gave dead line to the federal government for formulation of policy to tackle population till January 14. During the hearing, the chief justice said problems faced by the country couldn’t be resolved until bulging population issue was addressed. He also remarked that Advertisements cannot resolve ‘burgeoning population’ issue. “Only advertisements cannot fix the problem,” said the chief justice while hearing proceedings of the case. “Burgeoning population is even a bigger issue than the construction of dams. The government was supposed to furnish an action plan in this regard, but it didn’t do so.” During the hearing, attorney general informed the court that awareness campaign regarding the over-population issue was underway in the country. Responding to him, the CJP said: “You do not have a definite plan. We are here to highlight the responsibilities of the government.” The chief justice recalled that a symposium was also held on the issue and the government accepted proposals floated during the seminar in Islamabad. Hearing of the case was adjourned till January 14.