Court orders that possession obtained through District Reconciliation Committee (DRC) be immediately returned
LAHORE: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-Dec 26th, 2025) Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice Aalia Neelum on Friday warned that the consequences would follow if anyone facilitated land takeovers despite court orders in cases related to the Property Ownership Act.
The remarks were made during the hearing of petitions challenging actions taken under the Property Ownership Act.
During the proceedings, even a citizen who had obtained possession of land under the Act appeared before the court.
The court ordered that the possession obtained through the District Reconciliation Committee (DRC) be immediately returned.
Questioning the counsel for the beneficiary, Chief Justice Aalia Neelum asked how an illegal act could be defended. The lawyer conceded that committees formed under deputy commissioners (DCs) had exceeded their authority.
At this, the chief justice directed that possession be restored first, adding that further arguments would be heard afterward.
The chief justice observed that DCs had overstepped their powers and remarked that had the patwari performed duties in a timely manner, the matter would not have arisen.
“When the system is bypassed, such situations are bound to occur,” she said, questioning why action should not be initiated against committee members when even the lawyer had admitted misuse of authority by DCs.
When the lawyer argued that people had nowhere to go if justice was not delivered through the system, the chief justice cautioned against emotional arguments and said the court was well aware of the backlog of old cases.
The petitioner told the court that rivals were occupying 40 acres of property in Depalpur, adding that DRC committees handed over possession within 27 days.
The chief justice questioned who was legally empowered to pass such orders, declaring the committee’s possession order to be misconduct. The lawyer again admitted that DCs had issued an incorrect decision and lacked legal authority to do so.
The petitioner’s counsel further informed the court that despite the suspension of the ordinance, possession of one acre of property was handed over in Gujranwala on December 24.
The chief justice reiterated her warning that anyone enabling possession after court orders should be prepared to face consequences.
The LHC directed that the complete record of the DRC committee be produced and referred the petition to a full bench for further hearing.
