Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice (CJ) Ijaz Ahmed Chaudhry remarked on Friday that patwaris have become symbols of corruption and nobody dared to lodge complaints against them.
He said that patwaris altered property ownership records of complainants. The LHC CJ was hearing a petition against Lahore District Coordination Officer (DCO) Ahad Cheema and Punjab Chief Secretary Nasir Mehmood Khosa.
The LHC CJ stressed upon the need for a system wherein patwaris could not blackmail innocent people. Earlier, the DCO submitted details of assets owned by tehsildars, naib tehsildars and patwaris of the district. The DCO along with the Punjab chief secretary appeared in court in a petition against a patwari for not issuing fard-e-malkiat, mutation deed, to a petitioner despite court orders. The LHC CJ directed the chief secretary to evolve a mechanism, which could protect the ownership records of citizens so that patwaris could not tamper it. The chief secretary assured the court that record of the Punjab Revenue Department would be computerised adding that presently the computerisation of the record was in progress in seven districts.
He said that computerisation of the record would eliminate corruption in the revenue department. Cheema informed the court that record of patwaris was also being computerised. He ensured that action would be taken against corrupt patwaris. After their assurance, the LHC CJ adjourned the petition’s hearing for two weeks.
Separately, the Punjab chief secretary admitted in court that the Punjab government had failed to successfully implement the ban on taking out rallies and processions on The Mall but the government was trying to furnish practical suggestions acceptable to all stakeholders.
He said that everybody had freedom of expression and the Punjab government did not want to make a law, which might hamper peoples’ fundamental rights protected in the constitution. Khosa said that disagreement amongst stakeholders, including traders and journalists was the main reason for the government failure to enforce the ban effectively. The court was hearing a petition filed by the Mall Road Trade Union Association seeking court orders against protests on The Mall. During the hearing, Mall traders asked the court that an ordinance passed by the government against rallies/processions on The Mall should be implemented immediately. The chief secretary sought time from the court for enforcement of the ban and the LHC CJ adjourned the hearing for six weeks.
Also on Friday, LHC Justice Tariq Chaudhry dismissed a petition filed by Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) Secretary Amir Khan Wazir against his transfer.
