Property Ownership Ordinance Has Become Law: Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari

Lahore: Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari has said that the Property Ownership Ordinance has now taken the shape of an act after being passed by the provincial assembly.

According to a statement quoted by Daily Jang, Azma Bukhari said the provincial assembly has the authority to legislate for the betterment of the province. She highlighted that for decades people’s lands have been illegally occupied, often affecting widows, orphans, and siblings whose properties are unlawfully seized by others.

She said that land grabbing has been an issue for the past 75 years, adding that the new law will benefit the common man. “People used to fight court cases for years without getting justice. They were silenced through threats and intimidation,” she remarked.

The provincial minister stated that the land-grab mafia often occupies properties using fake documents. She clarified that she was not blaming the courts for wrong decisions, but pointed out that many cases were not properly presented due to lack of resources.

Azma Bukhari further said that policymaking in the province is the prerogative of the chief executive and the assembly. She shared examples where widows regained possession of their land after 40 years, and sisters after 25 years. “Poor people do not have the money to hire lawyers,” she added, stressing that the new legislation aims to provide relief to such vulnerable segments of society.