The CM said the suspension of the ‘Punjab Protection of Ownership of Immovable Property Act 2025' could benefit encroachers and land-grabbing mafias, while depriving common citizens of long-awaited justice in land and property disputes.

Her statement came a day after LHC Chief Justice Aalia Neelum issued an interim order stopping the implementation of the new law, which allows dispute resolution committees led by deputy commissioners to decide property cases.

The law was approved by the Punjab government on October 31 and requires land disputes to be resolved within 90 days, a major change from cases that often drag on for years.

Maryam said the legislation was introduced to give relief to millions of people suffering due to prolonged land disputes, calling it a historic step to protect legal property owners. She stressed that for the first time, a strict timeline was set to stop powerful land mafias from exploiting legal delays and stay orders.

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The chief minister said the law was passed by a democratically elected Punjab Assembly and was meant to empower citizens, not individuals in power. According to her, the legislation was evidence-based and covered both legal and administrative aspects to ensure justice for the oppressed. Maryam argued that suspending the law goes against settled judicial principles and sends a wrong message that the state is siding with land grabbers.

She clarified that the law was not for her personal benefit, adding that the real victims of the suspension would be the poor, widows, and vulnerable citizens who had finally seen hope.

During the hearing, LHC Chief Justice Aalia Neelum raised serious concerns about the law, saying it concentrated excessive powers and weakened the civil and judicial system.

She questioned how a revenue officer could decide possession of property when a case is already pending before a civil court, calling the law a threat to judicial supremacy.