Maryam Nawaz Reacts Strongly to LHC Suspension of Punjab Property Ownership Ordinance

Lahore: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has expressed strong reaction to the Lahore High Court’s suspension of the Punjab Protection of Ownership of Immovable Property Ordinance, saying the decision would benefit land grabbers and strengthen the land mafia.

In a statement issued after the court’s order, Maryam Nawaz said the provincial government had introduced the law to resolve land and property disputes within 90 days for the first time, ending cases that traditionally drag on for years and even generations.

She said the law was enacted to provide relief to millions of people in Punjab who have long suffered due to prolonged litigation over land and property. According to the chief minister, the democratically elected provincial assembly passed the legislation to free ordinary citizens from the clutches of powerful land and qabza mafias.

Maryam Nawaz said the law empowered citizens to protect their legally owned land and property, and was framed as an evidence-based legal mechanism to safeguard public rights. She maintained that the suspension of the ordinance was not in line with established principles laid down by the superior judiciary.

“The suspension of this law will benefit the qabza mafia, and the public will perceive it as backing land grabbers,” she said, adding that the legislation was designed to protect oppressed and vulnerable citizens by comprehensively addressing both administrative and legal aspects.

The chief minister noted that land-related cases often remain under stay orders for decades. She clarified that the law was not introduced for her personal benefit, nor did its suspension cause any personal loss to her. However, she said, the real loss would be borne by the public who have been victimized by land and property mafias.

She further stressed that legislation is a constitutional right of the provincial assembly and cannot be curtailed. Maryam Nawaz warned that blocking the law would harm poor, helpless, widows, and other marginalized segments of society who were finally receiving relief.

Concluding her statement, the chief minister said denial of justice would shatter the hopes of the poor and oppressed, emphasizing that the ordinance was meant to ensure timely justice and protection of property rights for the people of Punjab.