ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Thursday restricted the role of patwaris (land revenue official) in sale, purchase or transferring of land in urban areas.

A three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, heard the case in connection with functioning of patwaris, qanungos and tehsildars.

The top court ordered that patwarkhanas and revenue record offices jurisdiction will only be limited to protection of land records and they would have no authority to transfer land.

The chief justice remarked that patwaris could only collect information and get revenue on agricultural land.

He remarked that there was no need for patwarkhanas wherever Land Revenue Act has been implemented.

Land would be transferred under only the Land Revenue Act and there would be no sale and purchase in the urban areas on a verbal commitment, the bench ruled.

Supreme Court Bar Association President Amanullah Kanzai said that the matter rests with the interpretation of law.

The chief justice questioned why property records could not be computerised in this Space Age when people had landed on the moon.

Justice Ijazul Ahsan questioned the transparency of the land records system and remarked that “there are master plans in the cities, then how sale and purchase of properties cannot be put on the master plan” .

Subsequently, the bench wrapped up the case while banning role of patwaris in transferring land.

Published in Dawn, January 4th, 2019