Punjab govt moves against land mafia, qabza groups

ISLAMABAD: The Punjab government has constituted a high-level 33-member committee to devise an effective strategy, including framing of new law and regulations to effectively deal with the land mafia and Qabza groups in the province.

The committee has been told to devise a comprehensive action plan against the land mafia and Qabza groups within 30 days for early decision and implementation.This move from the Punjab government is the consequence of growing complaints of illegal Qabza (possession) of properties, belonging to rightful owners, by the land mafia. The target is to create a secure environment conducive for the protection of people’s right of property.

In these cases of illegal Qabza by the mafia, the rightful owners under the present system are made to run from pillar to post to get the possession of their property back. Even for the lucky ones, it takes years and even the court proceedings take a long time to do justice.

Presently, it is said that tens of thousands of such cases are pending before the judiciary as the administration does not do much to protect the rights of genuine owners of properties. Besides locals, a large number of overseas Pakistanis, who have purchased their properties in Pakistan, are also facing property disputes at the hands of the Qabza mafia.

To check this growing menace, Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif constituted the high-level committee with the following terms of reference:

“(i) To review the laws relating to land/property and the special laws such as Cooperative Acts, Land Consolidation Law, Forest Act, Colonization of Land Act, Canal and Drainage Act, Local Government Act, Highway Act and recommend effective and meaningful reforms, (a) For the protection of the fundamental right of property and creating a secure environment conducive to the full and fair enjoyment of that right; (b) To curb the growing menace of land grabbing; (c) Effective to deal with the land mafia and Qabza groups and to award exemplary punishments to them; and (d) To devise a mechanism for the speedy restoration of the property in illegal possession and for compensation of the rightful owner. (ii) The committee shall firm up its recommendations after inviting opinionafter inviting opinion from the general public and consultation with the stakeholders, particularly the lawyers community.”

The Punjab law minister is the convener of the committee which will include chief secretary, minister cooperatives, minister irrigation, minister agriculture, special assistant to CM on livestock and dairy development, MNAs Nadeem Abbas Rebaira, Ch Asadur Rehman, Sardar Ashiq Hussain and Sardar Dr Hafeezur Rehman Dreshak, MPAs Sardar M Qadir Leghari, Barrister Muhammad Ali Khokhar, Mian Tariq Mehmood, Ch Muhammad Iqbal, Syed Hussain Jahanian, Karam Ellahi Bandial, Engineer Qamar Islam, Ali Asghar Manda and Ramesh Singh Arora, inspector general police, home secretary, law secretary, advocate general, member colonies, secretary prosecution, secretary livestock, prosecutor general, chairman PCBL, deputy PD LRMIS, DCO Multan, chairman LDA Commission and advocate Sadique Kamyana.

The committee has the mandate to co-opt any other member whereas all commissioners and regional police officers are allowed to participate in the committee meeting through video conference.