RAWALPINDI: The Punjab government has established a special cell in Rawalpindi under Punjab Protection of Immovable Properties Ordinance to deal with cases of possession of property by force; fraud, deception or any illegal means. The entire process from application to final decision will not take more than 90 days.

Cases involving possession of property through force, fraud, deception, or any illegal means will be addressed under the ordinance.

The entire process, from application to final decision, will not exceed 90 days.

Following special instructions from the Chief Minister of Punjab, City Police Officer (CPO) Khalid Hamdani, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Hassan Waqar Cheema, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Operations Kashif Zulfiqar, ADCR, divisional SPs and assistant commissioners held a meeting on Monday regarding the enforcement of the ordinance in the district.

The purpose of the ordinance is to ensure immediate resolution or legal action in cases of illegal possession of property. Such cases will be resolved through joint coordination between the police and the district administration.

The meeting was held at the Deputy Commissioner’s Office in connection with the Punjab Protection of Immovable Properties Ordinance in Rawalpindi, under the special instructions of the Chief Minister of Punjab.

CPO Syed Khalid Hamdani, Deputy Commissioner Hassan Waqar Cheema, SSP Operations Kashif Zulfiqar, ADCR, divisional SPs and assistant commissioners participated in the meeting.

The ordinance aims to ensure immediate resolution or legal action in cases related to illegal possession of property. Issues involving force, fraud, deception, or any illegal means will be addressed under the ordinance.

All such matters will be handled through joint coordination of the district administration and the police.

The CPO, deputy commissioner, SSP operations, ADCR, divisional SPs, assistant commissioners and SDPOs will serve as members of the Dispute Resolution Committee (DRC). Once issues are settled between parties in the DRC, the committee will forward its report to the tribunal for legal orders.

The tribunal, consisting of former judges of the district or high court, will then issue a legal order on the matter. Tribunal members will be appointed for three years. The tribunal will issue legal orders based on the DRC’s report on resolved matters.

If an issue is not settled between the parties in the DRC, the committee will send its recommendations to the tribunal, where trial proceedings will begin. The property will then be transferred to the civil or sessions court. The tribunal will also be authorised to try ongoing cases related to property.

A special cell has been established in the deputy commissioner’s office to receive applications. The entire process, from application to final decision, will not exceed 90 days.

Applicants will be required to provide property documents, evidence and details of the person occupying the property along with their application. Applications can only be submitted in the relevant district.

Only the parties themselves or their family members will be allowed to appear before the DRC when summoned.

The DRC also has the authority to seal a property if the matter is not resolved between the parties or if there is a risk of escalation. In case of a false application, the DRC may recommend legal action against the applicant.

Citizens have been advised to submit their applications to the special cell at the deputy commissioner’s office for prompt and fair resolution of their property-related issues.

Published in Dawn, November 25th, 2025