GUJRAT: The ownership documents (fard malkiat) of all kinds of property will now be available at all 400 branches of Bank of Punjab (BoP) across the province by Jan 30, 2018, whereas fard booths will also be established at the Qanoongo level of the revenue circles to facilitate the public.

A decision to the effect was made at a recently held [5th] meeting of the Punjab Land Record Authority (PLRA) with its Chairman Rana Baber Hussain in the chair.

PLRA Director General Zafar Iqbal, Overseas Pakistanis Commission Punjab head Afzaal Bhatti and other senior government officials attended the meeting.

While briefing the participants, the DG PLRA said the major breakthrough had recently been achieved due to an agreement between the PLRA and the BoP. As per the agreement, the PLRA would give an access to the online data of the revenue estates of the whole province to BoP branches as the people would be able to seek the ownership documents of their properties from anywhere in the province due to that facility.

Documents acquired from bank will not be used for property transfer

However, the property document acquired from the BoP could only meant for the record purpose instead of being utilised for any kind of transaction of the property, said a senior official of the authority.

The land revenue data of at least 34 out of total 36 districts of the province has so far been linked to centralised system of the PLRA and the remaining [two districts] are likely to be linked by the current month after which the ownership document could be obtained from any Computerised Land Record Centre (CLRC) of the province.

Official sources said though the PLRA had announced the date of launching the facility at the BoP branches by Jan 30, it might further take two to three months in completion of the target.

The PLRA has also decided to establish more CLRCs in bigger tehsils of the province as these sub centres would be set up in far-flung localities of the tehsil. In Gujrat tehsil, such a centre has been proposed to be established somewhere in Karianwala or Tanda whereas Fard booths will be established at Qanoongo level.

The participants in the PLRA’s board meeting were told [by the DG] that work on the establishment of the waiting areas outside the CLRCs had been accelerated which would complete by the end of January.

The board decided to review the performance of the authority on a weekly basis to improve services at land record centres.

Prior to signing an agreement with the BoP over issuance of ownership document at bank branches, the PLRA had been in agreement with the National Database and Registration Authority for such a facility at local Nadra centres across the province. Later on, the Nadra authorities showed their inability in according such a facility at its centres.

Published in Dawn, January 3rd, 2018