FAISALABAD, Nov 20: Inappropriate pursuance of cases reportedly by revenue department officers has forced the administration to establish a separate litigation cell to help dispose of cases pending with different courts effectively.

Sources said that law officers deputed for civil courts were not attending courts regularly creating numerous problems for the department.

They said that revenue officers also tried to stay away from courts and took little interest in pursuing cases. This negligence on their part had caused a loss of millions of rupees to the national exchequer.

The litigation cell would work under Deputy District Officer (Colony) Khadim Jillani. All pending cases are also being computerised and employees have been deputed in this regard. With the help of computerisation, officials would be able to check the status of every case.

Besides, revenue officials would also request the district attorney to depute law officers in tehsils for coordination with the head of litigation cell to help dispose of cases effectively.

The department has no proper record of pending cases which could be resulted in a huge loss of the government property and other resources as well.

However, the district attorney had been asked to submit a list of all pending cases as future strategy could be furnished, they said.

District officer (revenue) Usman Ali Khan, told Dawn that the department had been facing many problems in connection with the disposing of pending cases.

Several cases had been decided against the department as officers failed to appear before courts.

With the establishment of the litigation cell, he said an officer had been made responsible to fight for the interest of the department.

This exercise would also help to trim down the litigation and ex-party decisions.