KARACHI: The immediate abolition of jagirs and “inams” without compensation, bestowal of full proprietary rights on occupancy tenants by compulsorily acquiring the landlords’ share at a valuation four times the annual rent, security of tenure for a minimum period of 15 years to tenants-at-will together with many statutory safeguards protecting such tenancies from exactions and harassment by landlords, the limitation of the area permissible for “khudkasht” to 25 acres in the case of each landlord, the liquidation of big zamindaris by prohibiting private ownership of more than 150 acres of average irrigated land and 450 acres of non-perennially irrigated land — these are some of the recommendations made by the Agrarian Reforms Committee of the Pakistan Muslim League.

The Committee ... was directed to submit its report within 3 months. ... The report ... will be presented to the Working Committee of the Pakistan Muslim League at its next meeting, and if the latter Body approves of it, the Pakistan Government will be asked to implement its recommendations on a uniform basis throughout West Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, July 20th, 2024