LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz expressed strong disapproval on Tuesday over the Lahore High Court’s decision to suspend the enforcement of the Punjab Protection of Ownership of Immovable Property Ordinance, 2025. She warned that this move could be interpreted by the public as an endorsement of the land-grabbing syndicates.
In a public statement, Nawaz emphasized that the provincial government introduced this law to deliver overdue relief to millions of citizens who have endured lengthy property disputes over decades. She highlighted that the legislation mandated a strict 90-day timeline for resolving land and property conflicts, which often remained unresolved for many years.“The legislation was enacted by our elected assembly to empower ordinary citizens and break the hold of powerful land mafias,” she stated, adding that the ordinance was a historic step in enabling people to safeguard their legally owned land and assets.
Nawaz clarified that the suspension of the law was not a personal or political setback, but a setback for vulnerable groups such as the poor, widows, and the oppressed, who had finally started to see justice through this legal framework. She reiterated that lawmaking is a right exclusively vested in the provincial assembly and should not be hindered.
She further criticized the court’s decision, asserting that it was inconsistent with established judicial principles and warned that halting the law would benefit illegal land grabbers. “The public will perceive this suspension as support for the qabza mafia,” she cautioned.
The Lahore High Court had temporarily stayed the implementation of the ordinance during hearings on petitions filed by Abida Parveen and other individuals challenging its legality. Chief Justice Aalia Neelum, who presided over the proceedings, dismissed procedural objections and recommended a full bench to examine the case thoroughly. The court also ordered the repossession of properties allocated under the suspended law.
The ordinance had been introduced to protect genuine property owners and facilitate rapid resolution of disputes through Dispute Resolution Committees, led by deputy commissioners, and property tribunals, headed by district judges both empowered to take administrative action and resolve conflicts efficiently.
Additionally, the law criminalized illegal possession of immovable property, with penalties including five to ten years of imprisonment and fines reaching up to Rs 1 million.
