Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider has promulgated two new ordinances aimed at reforming the province’s land administration system and strengthening protections for property owners.
The measures include the Punjab Land Revenue (Amendment) Ordinance and the Immovable Property Ownership Protection (Amendment) Ordinance 2026.
The amended Land Revenue law introduces digital systems and modern procedures designed to improve transparency, efficiency, and accountability in land-related matters.
Under the revised framework, processes such as possession transfers, profit-based land distribution, and appeals have been restructured. Official communications, including notices and public announcements, will now be delivered electronically.
The ordinance also establishes formal legal procedures for land demarcation and the removal of illegal occupants. All property transfers will now be processed through e-registration.
The role of patwaris has been limited to handling inheritance-related mutations only. The authority to refer cases back to subordinate courts has been exclusively assigned to the Board of Revenue.
In a separate move, the amended Immovable Property Ownership Protection law replaces the previous Dispute Resolution Committee with a newly formed Scrutiny Committee.
The new body will include deputy commissioners, district police officers, assistant commissioners, sub-divisional police officers, circle revenue officers, and the heads of relevant police stations.
The updated law introduces stricter penalties for illegal occupation of property. Offenders may face prison sentences ranging from five to ten years, fines of up to Rs. 10 million, or both. Filing false claims can result in up to five years in prison and a fine of Rs. 500,000.
Under the new system, complaints will be submitted to a tribunal made up of serving judges, replacing the earlier committee-based structure. The tribunal must forward cases to the Scrutiny Committee within three days.
The committee is required to complete its review and submit a report within 30 days. The tribunal must then issue a final decision within another 30 days.
The tribunal also has the authority to hear related offenses together in a single proceeding. Enforcement measures will now be carried out under the tribunal’s direction rather than by the deputy commissioner.
Serving additional session judges will serve as tribunal members, replacing the previous arrangement that included retired high court and session judges.
These legislative changes follow the suspension of the Property Ownership Protection Act by the Lahore High Court, prompting the provincial government to revise and strengthen the legal framework governing property rights.
Good initiative demarcation of lands should be digitized and consolidation of lands shall be carried automatically after twenty years