LAHORE – The Punjab Assembly on Thursday discussed issues surrounding land transactions, with the provincial government announcing the suspension of the Green Certificate for six months.
Punjab Finance Minister Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman told the House that the certificate had been suspended after several problems were reported with the system.
Opposition leader Rana Aftab Ahmad alleged that corruption was most prevalent in the Land Department, particularly in the process of obtaining land records. He argued that the previous patwari system was more effective than the Green Certificate for land transactions.
Rana Aftab also pointed out that land sale and purchase records were not being handled through a proper one-window system.
Raja Shaukat Bhatti said land transactions were facing serious complications, with the names of multiple people appearing on the records for the same two-acre property.
Amjad Ali Javed said he had warned the Senior Member Board of Revenue (SMBR) during a meeting that the Green Certificate could create problems.
Punjab Assembly Speaker questioned the legal basis for suspending the certificate, saying that if the Green Certificate had been approved by the assembly, the authority to suspend it should also rest with the House.
“If the Green Certificate has been suspended for six months, under which law was the decision taken?” the speaker questioned.
Raja Shaukat Bhatti further claimed that land records from 2020 to 2026 had still not been fully computerised.
