LHC suspends implementation of property ownership ordinance

The Lahore High Court (LHC) temporarily halted on Monday the enforcement of the recently promulgated Punjab Protection of Ownership of Immovable Property Ordinance, 2025 following strong objections raised during proceedings on Monday, Aaj News reported.

During the hearing, a bench led by Chief Justice Justice Aliya Neelum reviewed petitions challenging the ordinance brought forward by Abida Parveen and other applicants.

The court, expressing serious constitutional concerns, ordered a stay on the law’s implementation until further hearings, and recommended the constitution of a full court bench to deliberate the matter comprehensively.

The ordinance, approved on October 31, 2025, aimed to expedite resolution of property disputes by mandating decisions within 90 days through specially constituted dispute resolution committees at the district level.

It also set up appellate tribunals led by retired high court judges to review such decisions.

However, the Chief Justice sharply criticised the legal provisions, observing that the law risked undermining fundamental rights and judicial supremacy. Highlighting safeguards traditionally offered by civil courts in property matters, she said the current formulation offered no meaningful protection to citizens.

Addressing the absence of the Advocate General Punjab from the proceedings, the Chief Justice remarked on the importance of state representation, underscoring that even personal ailments should not prevent presentation of the government’s stance in the court.

The bench questioned the ordinance’s mechanism that empowers revenue officials to intervene in ongoing civil disputes, challenging how such powers align with constitutional guarantees. “If this law is allowed to stand, even influential properties like Jati Umra could be vulnerable in moments,” the Chief Justice observed.

Under the ordinance’s structure, dispute committees chaired by deputy commissioners and including relevant officials were expected to adjudicate cases more swiftly than the traditional court process. The LHC’s decision now pauses this framework pending further judicial review.

The development comes amid widespread debate over legal reform in property dispute resolution in Punjab, with stakeholders expressing divergent views on balancing speedy justice with protection of legal rights.