High Court Suspends 90-Day Punjab Protection of Ownership of Immovable Property Ordinance 2025

The Lahore High Court (LHC) has temporarily stopped the implementation of the Punjab Protection of Ownership of Immovable Property. This law was introduced to help property owners protect their property. This works from illegal possession within 90 days. But now it cannot be used until the court reviews it.      

Why the High Court Suspended the Law      

The Chief Justice of LHC, Aalia Neelum, raised concerns about the law. Because it could violate the basic rights of  property owners . Also, this gives too much power to government officials.      

Some of the main issues are:      

• The law allowed Deputy Commissioners and special committees to decide property disputes quickly, sometimes without involving regular courts.      
• People negatively impacted by these decisions had limited recourse to appeal. This meant they couldn't simply dispute decisions they thought were unfair.      
• In some cases, even the High Court could not stop the property from being taken once the committees acted.      

Chief Justice Aalia Neelum warned that the law could be misused. She said that even important properties could be taken away very quickly without a proper legal process.      

What the Law Tried to Do      

The ordinance was designed to  protect lawful property owners  and stop illegal possession.      

It aimed to:      

• Resolve property disputes within 90 days through special committees led by Deputy Commissioners.      
• Punish people who were illegally occupying properties.      
• Provide fast solutions for property owners so they wouldn’t have to wait years in court.     

Impact of the Suspension      

• All actions taken under the ordinance, such as removing people from properties, are now paused.      
• The court may form a full bench to examine the law carefully before making a final decision.      
• For now, property owners in Punjab will have to use regular courts to settle disputes.      

Why This Matters      

The suspension is due to its protection of property owners' rights and guarantee that laws do not bypass standard legal procedures. While the law was designed to resolve property disputes swiftly, the court considers that everyone deserves a fair process before losing their property.