Land Grabbing in Pakistan- Laws & Prevention Against Qabza Mafia

Land grabbing in Pakistan refers to something greater than ordinary but similar to killing, specifically the robbery of personal and public land via crook gangs. Not an afternoon is going without a newspaper reporting examples of alleged land grabbing or violent crimes related to land dispute cases in Pakistan.

Let's first understand the terms Land Grabbing and Qabza Mafia in detail. This blog gives insight into the legal laws, amendments and actions to take against land grabbing. You will also know about ways how you can keep your land safe from illegal possession. 

 

Land Dispute Cases in Pakistan - How is it Done?

 

In Pakistan, the course of land grabbing is continually related to the sports of what is named the Land Mafia, Land Grabbers and Qabza Mafia. The latter phrase is from the Urdu language meaning “occupying” albeit with the purpose of a profession via means of pressure or trickery.

Land grabbing via Qabza businesses covers various unlawful sports from the outright profession of land through pressure to extra diffused means, which includes the submitting of baseless civil instances claiming possession rights to a belongings. With civil litigation gradual and inefficient, the real proprietors of the property can both combat the case in courtroom docket and lose their capacity to promote it at some stage in the pendency of the civil case or pay an amount of cash to the blackmailer so as for the case to be withdrawn. 

Land grabbing isn't always indexed as a separate offense in legit crime records however has obtained notoriety as a criminal offense that now no longer simplest impacts a massive variety of humans, however, additionally the country itself.

 

Laws of Land Grabbing in Pakistan

 

When we speak of land grabbing it's easy to find who the actual sufferer will be, a person whose land has been taken in unlawful custody. However, in the eyes of the law, the scenario will become much more complex if a purchaser of land hasn’t checked with the authentic unit to whom the property genuinely belongs. In this case, the wronged purchaser is likewise taken into reflection as complicit in land grabbing. 

For this reason, the Supreme Court has taken a sturdy stance in opposition to the qabza group or land grabbing groups. Where they added a law in opposition to land grabbing in Pakistan, by introducing some means.

Protection and Penalty Under Illegal Dispossession Act, 2005

The reason and objective in the execution of the Dispossession Act, of 2005 are to cut off the growing offences of unlawful dispossession and land grabbing. The legislature is with a purpose to shield the rights of lawful proprietors to encounter their non-violent ownership and to find guilty the land grabbers who have implemented the referred Act. The Illegal Dispossession Act, of 2005 is a unique undertaking, passed to prevent land grabbers and to keep safe the rights of the landlord. And the legal occupants of the property in opposition to the unauthorized and illegal acts of land grabbing.

 

According to the Act,

“The deciding issues would be: whether the offence against a lawful owner or occupier, as described in the complaint, has indeed taken place and whether it is the accused who has committed it without any lawful authority.”

 

This Act has a penalty for the qabza mafias. The decision will be taken after the complaint along with the proof of being a victim. Whoever goes against the conditions of this Act, without discrimination he will be charged and be punishable with ten years of imprisonment with a fine. The sufferer of the violation additionally is paid according to the availability of segment 544-A of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898.

Eradication of Qabza Group Act, 1993

Some of the land grabbers regard this pastime as a median income for their livelihood whilst others take it as an everyday profession. In sure localities, those evil parties now don't underground or wear any cover while grabbing land. However, openly and visibly breaking the law.

Their faults are mentioned but no action is taken against them in Pakistan. This is so since those groups have the advantages of being unreasonable and powerful and are regularly supported with the support of an effective social, political and bureaucratic elite. The reason why Qabza groups perform in the open and with immunity is that the influential elite makes it impossible for law-imposing officers to seize them.

However, the additional purpose for this flourishing crime might also possibly be attributed to the failings in our judicial system, in which court matters are costly, tiresome and slow. 

Consequently, the sufferers of Qabza Group continually choose an out-of-the-courtroom settlement, surrendering to the needs of the Qabza Mafia in Pakistan.  

The Pakistan Law Commission is determined to suggest a brand new draft regulation within the area. The proposed regulation dates to achieving the required objectives this Act was formed. 

With this new range of norms, the method for punishing the land grabber has come up less difficult and on the side of the sufferer. Another step from former PM Imran Khan's side to cut back the crisis is Citizen’s Portal Pakistan. 

Pakistan Citizen Portal For Land Grabbing

A one-of-a-kind category at the Pakistan Citizen Portal (PCP) for lodging complaints linked to the violence of the rules of property grabbed by the Qabza mafia, as a way to get rid of widespread and pending cases conducted on unlawful possession of land in Pakistan.

The recurring issues of land possession in Pakistan are becoming a norm now. The Land Mafia in Karachi grabbing the properties of innocent landlords is one of the examples of land grabbing in Pakistan. So to turn down the issue in advance and give a fast accessible solution this portal was developed.

For easy understanding of people, the user interface of the Pakistan Citizen Portal app has been redesigned. The functionalities had been grouped collectively and broken up into 3 important categories: Complaints, Guidance, and Suggestions.

Many cases were taken into consideration and the investigation started against the lodged complaints. Many land owners’ issues were resolved through this portal. Live calling sessions with the public took place by the  Prime Minister himself to check the workings of the PCP portal.

 

How to Keep Your Land Safe from Qabza Mafia in Pakistan?

While land or plot grabbing via powerful mafia groups is a manner in Pakistan, especially in our main towns like Karachi. We should not forget about our own homes or property anywhere in the whole of Pakistan. As we do not know how strong the grip and widespread branches of those land mafia are.

Let us share a few essential and informational tips for landowners to keep their land safe from qabza-mafia.  

If you don’t contend with your own home after buying, a few land grabbers can make it their own homes. A plot, however, a residence or plaza that isn't in running the order also can be grabbed by the one's crooks.

Documentation Approval

Get the entire statistics concerning the actual property assets you are taking into consideration buying. The research of the investment can prevent many future troubles.

After receiving the files, the second step you must take is to tell the regulatory government like LDA, CDA, RDA etc. This bond of reference to an associated administration will hold you secure and aware about your home in resistance to the qabza mafia.  

Wall Construction

Place a boundary wall along your land to tell Mafia’s and everyone around that to win the ownership belongs to openly. And no one can enter it. If it is highly priced for you, create a half-phase wall and locate a board with the call and call to make it public in phrases of the safety of the plot. 

Visiting Often

After getting property you need to ensure that you visit every week or make a small stay. This will make you aware of the setting and any unlawful happenings to your plot/land. Stay in touch with the property agents to get know-how about the mafias around your location. 

Documents in Locker

Documents can alternate the entire recreation if they get misused. So always deal with your files and hold them secure in banks. It is spotless to make faux copies of important files through their photocopies. Try to get extra copies to keep away from the usage of your original files repeatedly.

Safety Guard

Whether it's an empty residence or land with no safety, it might be occupied by the land grabber. To keep away from such situations, you need to lease safety protection for your private home in case you're residing overseaI or away. A safety warden can take proper care and hold you up to date in your private home.

 

Land Grabbing - Abstract

Land grabbing is a common norm in Pakistan. Weak and uneducated people suffer from this illegal act by the Mafia. Government has taken strict action against it. They have passed bills and now made a portal to lodge complaints. On the other hand, we should be taking precautionary measures to keep our land safe from qabza groups. Always stay up to date with our blogs about the happening of real estate.