RAWALPINDI: The efforts to digitize the land revenue records of Rawalpindi district have faced significant delays, with the authorities failing to meet eight consecutive deadlines over the past three years.
According to a senior district official, the province has initiated the process of “digital girdawari,” which involves inspecting rural areas to verify land and crop records.
Over 10 million property documents, including land transfer records, have been computerized.
However, due to changes in the Patwari system and the absence of digital records, conducting the required girdawari inspections has become challenging in recent years.
The incomplete task of completing the revenue record of Rawalpindi has been marked by unfulfilled promises.
Despite setting eight deadlines in the past three years, the land revenue department has yet to accomplish the task.
Divisional Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chattha has now issued another deadline, instructing officials to complete the digital girdawari by June 30. However, given the sluggish progress observed so far, meeting this deadline appears uncertain.
The inefficiencies extend to the Rawalpindi tehsil, which was divided into three revenue tehsils to enhance revenue matters.
Among the tehsils of Rawalpindi district, Rawalpindi tehsil itself lags in terms of completing land records.
Out of a total of 321,334 land units (khasras) in the tehsil, work has been completed on 310,810 units, accounting for 96%. In contrast, Taxila, Gujar Khan, and Kalar Syedan have achieved completion rates of 99%.
In response to the ongoing issues, the commissioner has appointed a special team to finalize the pending revenue records.
Additionally, deputy commissioners were instructed to suspend patwaris (land record officials) whose work remains incomplete. However, it seems that these instructions have not been effectively implemented.
With a renewed directive from Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chattha, the completion of the digital girdawari in the Rawalpindi district is now targeted for June 30.
Besides, the commissioner has urged assistant commissioners to directly supervise the work and prioritize its completion.
Source: DAWN
