LAHORE: Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif has said that, for the first time, a time limit of 90 days has been fixed for the disposal of land and property cases that have continued for years and even generations.
“The law was enacted to provide relief to millions of people in Punjab who have been suffering for decades,” she said, adding: “The legislation was passed by the democratically elected Provincial Assembly to free the public from the clutches of powerful land mafias.”
Through this law, citizens have, for the first time, been empowered to protect their lawful land and property, and an evidence-based legal framework has been introduced, the CM said.
In a statement regarding the suspension of the Punjab Protection of Ownership of Immovable Property Act, 2025, the chief minister said that the court’s decision was not in accordance with the settled principles laid down by the superior judiciary. She said the suspension of the law would benefit encroachment mafias, and the public would perceive it as support for land grabbers.
Maryam Nawaz Sharif Sharif said the law provided comprehensive protection to the oppressed by covering all administrative and legal aspects. She pointed out that stay orders in land cases often remain in force for decades. She clarified that the law was not enacted for her personal benefit, nor has its suspension caused her any personal loss; however, it has resulted in serious harm to people who have been victimised by encroachment and land mafias.
The CM emphasised that legislation is the constitutional right of the provincial assembly and cannot be obstructed. She said the suspension of the law would not harm her personally but would adversely affect the poor, the needy, the helpless, widows, and the oppressed whose grievances were being addressed. “Without justice, the hope that the poor and the oppressed had finally begun to hold on to will be shattered,” she added.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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