The Lahore High Court on Monday halted the enforcement of eviction orders issued by deputy commissioners under the Punjab Property Ownership Law, delivering interim relief to petitioners challenging the move.
A single bench heard four petitions contesting decisions by deputy commissioners to remove possession of properties under the Property Ownership Ordinance. During the proceedings, the court suspended the implementation of all such orders until further notice.
The bench referred the petitions to a full bench for final adjudication and directed authorities to place the complete record before it. In its observations, the court noted that deputy commissioners and commissioners lack independent authority to order the removal of possession under the existing legal framework.
Read: LHC Chief Justice Overturns DC Committees’ Property Possession Orders
The ruling comes amid a wider debate over the scope and application of the Punjab Immovable Property Ordinance. Earlier, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif voiced concern over the court’s interim suspension of the ordinance, warning that it could benefit land grabbers and undermine protections for ordinary citizens.
In a statement, the chief minister said the ordinance aimed to deliver swift justice in long-standing land and property disputes. She added that, for the first time, the law set a 90-day deadline to decide such cases, a measure intended to provide timely relief to millions affected across the province.
The full bench is expected to take up the matter after reviewing the complete case record, a decision that will likely shape the future enforcement of property laws in Punjab.
