ACCORDING to press reports, the chief justice of the Lahore High Court has ordered the Punjab government to constitute special task forces at district level to keep an eye on corrupt practices of Patwaris and to entertain public complaints against them.

I appreciate the chief justice’s suggestion to the Punjab government but I am afraid unless the present system of land record is not computerised and the post of Patwari is not abolished, corruption will not be eliminated.

The reason being it is not only the patawari who is beneficiary of the present system but higher officials in the revenue department are also having their share. It is the need of the hour to replace the obsolete system of land-keeping records.

It is not very expensive to use GIS and GPS technology to keep land and ownership records.

The provincial government should replace its board of revenue department with the land assets management authority which can engage the private sector or Nadra to handle the data of lands ownership.

A large amount has been spent on making the e-government but its operation is still not implemented. To reduce corruption, the use of information technology is imperative. Unfortunately, the present government of mainstream political parties, the PML (N) and the PPP, are not interested in tackling corruption and reforming the civil administration. It is the main reason that corruption in Pakistan is increasing day by day.

It is also imperative that each district land record should be handled by the district local government as it is practised in all other countries.

S. T. HUSSAINLahore