On Thursday, the Senate unanimously approved the Establishment of Special Court (Overseas Pakistanis Property) Bill, 2024.
The legislation mandates that special courts resolve cases within 90 days. Chaudhry Salik Hussain, Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, introduced the bill to create special courts for handling disputes related to immovable properties of overseas Pakistanis.
The bill addresses the property concerns of Pakistanis living abroad. Minister Salik highlighted that the legislation responds to significant demand from these individuals, ensuring a secure, online land-purchasing process for them.
Syed Ali Zafar, Leader of the House in the Senate, commended the bill’s focus on the needs of overseas Pakistanis. Senator Danish Kumar noted that many overseas Pakistanis had approached him, requesting such legislation to protect their property rights in Pakistan without the need for expensive travel.
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Key provisions of the bill include establishing special courts after consulting with the chief justice of the Islamabad High Court. These courts will have the authority of district courts and will entertain petitions concerning property ownership, possession, and valuation.
The legislation allows for electronic filing of petitions. If a respondent fails to appear twice, the court may proceed in their absence, limiting parties to two opportunities to present evidence. Overseas Pakistanis can participate in hearings via video link.
Furthermore, the bill stipulates that the court must resolve cases within 90 days. If an affected party is dissatisfied, they may appeal to the high court, which also has 90 days to settle the matter.
