Punjab Province

Lahore | ReNews Pakistan
On the special direction of Lahore High Court Chief Justice Aalia Neelum, a special judicial mechanism has been activated in Punjab to take action against those involved in land grabbing. Under the Punjab Property Ownership Amendment Act, special tribunals have been established in all 36 districts of the province, where cases related to illegal occupation of land and property ownership rights will be heard.
According to judicial sources, additional sessions judges will perform duties in these special tribunals. The purpose of this initiative is to provide immediate, effective and transparent justice to citizens affected by illegal occupation of land, false claims, delaying tactics and prolonged judicial proceedings.
Following the direction of Lahore High Court Chief Justice Aalia Neelum, 575 pending cases across Punjab have also been transferred to the special tribunals. A large number of these cases had remained pending for a long time due to stay orders, legal complications or other reasons. Under the new system, these cases will be decided on a priority basis so that legal owners can receive relief.
Under the Punjab Property Ownership Amendment Act, if illegal occupation of land is proven, those involved may face imprisonment ranging from 3 to 10 years, along with heavy fines. The law also empowers the special tribunals to seek assistance from police and relevant administrative departments to retrieve occupied land and hand it over to the rightful and legal owners.
Legal experts say the establishment of special tribunals is an important development for resolving property related disputes in Punjab. They said land grabbing cases have long been a serious issue for ordinary citizens, widows, elderly people, legal heirs and overseas Pakistanis. Through a separate and fast track judicial forum, affected individuals are expected to receive timely relief.
Sources said Chief Justice Aalia Neelum has directed that unnecessary delays in land grabbing cases should be eliminated and the judicial process should be made more effective. In this regard, steps have been initiated at the district level to ensure the transfer of cases, scheduling of hearings and availability of relevant records.
The establishment of special tribunals against illegal occupants of land in Punjab comes at a time when a large number of citizens are facing complaints related to the protection of ownership rights, forged documents, illegal occupation and prolonged litigation. It is expected that this move will not only increase public confidence but also help make the system of land records, ownership rights and property transactions more secure in the province.
The initiative is also particularly important for overseas Pakistanis, as citizens living abroad often face illegal occupation of their properties, forged transfers and lengthy legal proceedings in their absence. Fast track hearings through special tribunals are expected to improve the protection of their rights as well.
According to judicial circles, this measure is an important step toward speedy justice, rule of law and protection of property rights in Punjab. If implemented effectively, the system could significantly accelerate action against illegal occupants.

Lahore: [ReNews Pakistan]
The Punjab Central Business District Development Authority (CBD Punjab) has completed the lease auction process for two highly important and valuable plots reserved for petrol pumps in CBD NSIT City, Pakistan’s largest and first IT City.
According to officials, the auction was conducted through sealed bids. The purpose of the auction was to provide essential facilities in the IT City while promoting commercial activities in an organized and transparent manner. CBD Punjab had offered two strategically located plots on lease for the construction of petrol pumps.
The first plot included in the auction is Plot No. F-12-02, measuring 5.38 kanal. Its annual base price was fixed at Rs25 million. The second plot is Plot No. F-02-02, measuring 6.77 kanal, with an annual base price of Rs30 million.
According to CBD Punjab, both plots are located at key points within the IT City, where traffic flow, business activity and the demand for civic facilities are expected to increase in the future. The establishment of petrol pumps will not only facilitate citizens, investors, offices and business entities visiting the IT City, but will also enhance the commercial value of the project.
The authority said CBD NSIT City is being developed as a modern hub for business, technology and investment. In this context, the provision of basic infrastructure, service areas and commercial facilities is being considered essential for the completion and functionality of the project.
Officials said the auction process was completed under a transparent mechanism, while offering the plots on lease will generate recurring revenue for the authority. CBD Punjab said work would continue on various commercial and service sector projects in the future to further expand investment opportunities in the IT City.

Lahore | ReNews Pakistan
The installation of cameras under the Safe Cities Project has been completed across all districts of Punjab. According to officials, cameras installed in 43 cities have been connected to the central system at the Safe Cities Headquarters, expanding the scope of modern monitoring and surveillance across the province.
Safe Cities officials said a total of 17,000 cameras have been installed across Punjab. These cameras are being used for surveillance in urban areas, on key roads, at sensitive locations and traffic points. Officials said the system is playing an important role in crime control, traffic management, monitoring of suspicious activities and the e-challaning process.
The foundation of the project was laid during the tenure of caretaker Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi, while it has been completed across all districts under the current Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif. Officials said the purpose of the project is to connect law enforcement agencies in Punjab with modern technology, support crime prevention and make the public safety system more effective.
Safe Cities officials said the next phase of the project is also being launched, under which more than 10,000 additional cameras will be installed in 98 tehsils of Punjab. This phase will be completed at comparatively lower cost, and according to officials, the new approach is expected to reduce the project cost by nearly 50 percent.
Officials further said that in the final phase, camera installation will also be completed at the union council level so that the surveillance system is not limited to major cities or tehsil headquarters, but is extended to the local level as well. The step is expected to improve security monitoring in smaller cities, towns and important rural centres.
According to officials, private cameras across Punjab are also being linked with the Safe Cities network. The move is aimed at bringing public and private surveillance systems into an integrated network so that, in case of any incident, suspicious movement or traffic violation, relevant authorities can access information without delay.
Safe Cities officials said the completion of the project would bring a significant improvement in security, traffic control and civic surveillance across Punjab, while modern cameras and the central monitoring system would also help strengthen the operational capacity of police and other institutions.