Islamabad: The Supreme Court (SC) has sought replies from the centre and all the provincial governments on the closure of patwarkhanas in urban areas, a news source reported. As per officials, the top court recently issues notices to the federal and provincial authorities on this front.
A three-member SC bench, headed by Justice Umar Ata Bandial, heard several review petitions on Thursday. The court directed all the advocate generals to file their responses in the light of relevant provincial laws.
Justice Ijaz-ul-Ahsan observed that property holders in urban areas needed legal protection. He further said that patwaris used to demand millions in fee payment for the provision of land ownership certificates; therefore, the court had limited their powers in the urban areas.
The petitioner’s counsel told the court that patwaris could not issue land ownership certificates in the wake of the court’s verdict issued in January. He said that the rules made it mandatory for citizens to provide their land ownership certificates to commence with the property registration process at revenue offices. He also noted that the court had ordered the sale and purchase of the land through a registered sale deed.
Earlier this year, the Supreme Court had limited the role of patwarkhanas (land record centres) in urban and settled areas to storing property records only.
Similarly, the bench had ruled that patwaris would have no role in property deals in areas governed under the Punjab Land Revenue Act (LRA). Moreover, the court had prohibited verbal property agreements in urban areas.
