ISLAMABAD: Large-scale commercial use of Jammu & Kashmir State land, including construction and operation of marriage halls and other businesses by illegal occupants came under scrutiny on Tuesday as a Senate subcommittee ordered sealing of unauthorised structures and sought five-year record of rent collection and utilisation.

The meeting of the subcommittee of the Senate Standing Committee on Kashmir Affairs, Gilgit-Baltistan and States and Frontier Regions was held under chairpersonship of Senator Nasir Mehmood to review system of rent collection from properties on J&K State land and examine encroachments, with focus on transparency, accountability and enforcement.

The committee was informed that total J&K State property comprises 34,616 kanals, equivalent to about 4,327 acres and one kanal. Encroachments covering about 318 acres, 8 kanals and 9 marlas had been identified in Sultanpura and Rehmanpura, Lahore, constituting around 7.37pc of total property in identified area.

Of this, Sultanpura accounted for 153 acres, 2 kanals and 13 marlas, while Rehmanpura accounted for 165 acres, 3 kanals and 16 marlas.

Senate panel tells officials to shutter unauthorised venues, register case if seal is violated

The committee took serious note of construction and operation of marriage halls and other commercial activities on state land. The chairman directed officials to seal the unauthorised marriage halls, submit photographic evidence and initiate an FIR in case the seal was violated.

Officials briefed on illegal constructions, disputed tenancy matters, unauthorised use and cases involving utility connections.

The committee expressed concern over alleged issuance of unauthorised or questionable NOCs for electricity connections and directed proper investigation.

Officials said department manages around 3,160 tenancies. Original receipts are issued to tenants, duplicate and voided copies retained for audit. Manual collections are entered in cash book and deposited through treasury challans, while digital payments are credited directly to authorised accounts.

Manual receipts, collection statements, cash book entries and deposit records are cross-verified, whereas PayZen system provides automated digital reconciliation.

The committee expressed concern over continued practice of cash-based rent collection and sought details of total rent collected, its deposit in banks/government accounts, outstanding dues and record of tenants. Officials said the process was being digitised and efforts were underway to transition large number of tenants to digital system.

The chairman directed officials to provide five-year record of rent collection and utilisation, along with details of tenants, rent collected, dates of deposit, outstanding dues and receipts. He said system should be transparent, properly documented and subject to effective checks and balances.

Senator Naseema Ehsan asked about reported theft, irregularities and misuse of state property. Officials said that irregularities had been reported in the past and a case was also pending before National Accountability Bureau. The committee sought details of such cases and recoveries.

Officials said that J&K State land had been demarcated against revenue records and geo-referenced through PITB-assisted systems. Digital maps, including Aks Shajra, were made available to sub-committee.

The chairman directed officials to provide complete details of state land, including demarcation, tenancy, rent collection and encroachments, and said committee would undertake field visits to verify position on ground. He also directed relevant records and receipts be produced for verification.

Published in Dawn, October 7th, 2026