LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has said no one will now snatch anyone’s land in Punjab as the state stands by every weak person like a mother.
She said whoever owns a property has a right to possess it. For a common man, a small property or land is like a whole universe, but unfortunately the mafia encroaches upon it. She reined in the encroachment mafia in Punjab forever by approving Punjab Protection of Ownership of Immovable Property Ordinance 2025 to deal with those who encroach upon the properties of people in Punjab. She decided to establish dispute resolution committees for the petitioners who have been going to courts for years to reclaim their land. She highlighted that every possession case in Punjab will now be decided by Dispute Resolution Committees in just 90 days. An appeal against the decision of the Dispute Resolution Committee will be heard by a special tribunal headed by a retired high court judge who will also be bound to decide the appeal within 90 days.
In a meeting held under the chairmanship of Maryam, it was agreed to establish a Dispute Resolution Committee in every district under the new ordinance. Authorities briefed that under the new justice system in Punjab, Dispute Resolution Committees will resolve an issue of possession of private property even before going to court. They said that to provide speedy justice to the people of Punjab who have been wandering around courts for years, Dispute Resolution Committees will decide every possession case within 90 days. The convener of the 6-member District Settlement Committee will be a deputy commissioner, while DPOs and other officials will also be involved. The meeting set a target of making the Dispute Resolution Committees functional within 30 days. The Dispute Resolution Committees will be bound to recover land from the encroachment mafia within 24 hours after the decision of the case.
The meeting reviewed a recommendation to hire PERA force to recover land from those who have encroached on public property. A proposal regarding digital records and social media live-streaming to ensure transparency was also considered in the meeting.
The chief minister also had a meeting with assembly members and ticket holders of the Faisalabad Division for a detailed discussion on ongoing and future development projects, overall political scenario in the region and public service agenda of the Faisalabad Division. The visiting parliamentarians and ticket holders expressed full confidence in the visionary and unwavering leadership of Maryam, and thanked her for providing Electrobus service in Faisalabad. Maryam said justice, convenience and employment would be provided to every citizen at his/her doorstep. This is not her promise, but her mission and determination. She noted that Faisalabad is the industrial backbone of Punjab, whose development strengthens economy of the entire province. She vowed to ensure rule of law in Punjab at all costs, and underscored that public satisfaction is the basis of real governance.
A legislator said that since Maryam Nawaz came to power, people are getting good news every day. She has handled law and order in the province with prompt and effective decisions, which has become an example for the entire country. They underscored that under her leadership, a new era of development, transparency and public service has begun in the province. They noted that projects like Honhar Scholarship and Laptop Scheme are empowering youths.
Meanwhile, Maryam Nawaz chaired the seventh consecutive meeting on law & order to review peace and security measures being taken in the province in which the Punjab government devised a new strategic direction for effective enforcement of law by approving strict measures and prompt actions to ensure public order. It imposed a ban on the use of loudspeakers in the province, as business, political, religious groups or individual will not be allowed to use loudspeaker for any kind of activity. This decision is aimed at curbing hate speech for incitement of violence and public disorder, reinforcing the Punjab government’s strong commitment to establish lasting peace and harmony.
The Punjab government also approved the use of CCTV cameras and advanced technology for real-time monitoring and enforcement of the Loudspeaker Act, because the elements found committing violation of the Act, along with providing facilitation to illegal foreign residents, would be dealt with an iron hand.
The Punjab government clarified that Friday sermons (Khutba) and the five daily calls for prayers (Azaan) are exempted from this ban. In view of respecting sanctity of mosques and religious practices, the provincial government has announced a province-wide initiative for the renovation, beautification and restoration of mosques. Under this program, all necessary facilities would be provided, including clearance of surrounding roads and improvements in drainage and infrastructure networks.
The chief minister directed authorities that stipend distribution for more than 65,000 Imams (Aima Karam) must be completed in a transparent and efficient manner. For this purpose, the Punjab government has launched a digital mapping project for all mosques across Punjab to ensure acquiring accurate data along with maintaining transparent record-keeping.
Reaffirming its zero-tolerance policy against such nefarious elements, the Punjab government said if it found anyone involved in spreading hate or violence through loudspeakers, it would launch a crackdown and bring them to justice. However, no restrictions have been placed on any law-abiding religious organizations. Religious groups following the prescribed code of conduct can continue their activities freely. The Punjab government will fully support organizations promoting interfaith harmony and peace.
The meeting also reviewed an ongoing campaign against illegal weapons, and Maryam expressed satisfaction over public cooperation in surrendering unlicensed arms. The government decided to take strict action against anyone found possessing or concealing illegal weapons. Moreover, the government announced severe penalties for those aiding or facilitating illegal foreign nationals.
Maryam said: “On the digital front, individuals spreading hate, falsehood or incitement on social media will face strict prosecution under the PECA Act. To combat such activities, special monitoring units have been activated to track and remove hate-based digital content.” She reaffirmed the Punjab government’s commitment to promote lasting peace and order in the province. She noted: “Punjab is the cradle of peace, and will never be allowed to become a breeding ground for making chaos and division.”