Punjab Province

Lahore | ReNews Pakistan
The Lahore High Court (LHC) has clarified an important legal principle governing landlord and tenant disputes, ruling that a person who enters a property as a tenant remains a tenant until lawful possession of the premises is returned to the owner. The court held that a tenant cannot continue occupying a property by relying on the ownership claim of a third party unless that claim is legally established through credible evidence.
The ruling came in a case involving shop tenant Nahal Din, whose eviction had previously been ordered by the lower courts. The High Court upheld the eviction order and also dismissed an ownership objection petition filed by Bilqis Begum, who had claimed ownership rights over the disputed property.
Justice Muzammal Akhtar Shabbir, in a detailed written judgment, observed that Bilqis Begum had failed to produce sufficient documentary or legal evidence to substantiate her ownership claim. The court concluded that the objections raised did not establish any lawful basis to interfere with the eviction proceedings.
The judgment further noted that the disputed shop had already been excluded from an earlier eviction order, and the subsequent petition appeared to have been filed primarily to shield the tenant from eviction rather than to protect any legitimate ownership rights.
After reviewing the record, the High Court found no legal, procedural or jurisdictional defects in the decisions of the subordinate courts. It ruled that the lower courts had acted within the framework of the law and that there were no grounds to overturn their findings.
Consequently, the Lahore High Court dismissed the appeal and allowed the eviction order against tenant Nahal Din to remain in force.
Legal experts say the judgment reinforces the principle that tenancy rights continue only within the framework of the landlord-tenant relationship and cannot be converted into ownership or indefinite possession through unsupported third-party claims. The decision is expected to serve as an important judicial reference in future tenancy and property disputes across Pakistan.

Lahore | Riaz Hussain | ReNews Pakistan
The Office of the Ombudsman Punjab has secured financial relief amounting to Rs 64.1 million for citizens by taking effective action on complaints lodged against the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA).
According to a spokesman for the Ombudsman Punjab, the office received 38 complaints of various nature against WASA authorities. Following thorough investigations, orders were issued in accordance with the law, leading to the resolution of the grievances.
The complaints primarily related to the correction of water bills, installation and restoration of water connections, and installation of water meters. The spokesman said the Ombudsman Punjab's timely intervention and effective directives ensured Rs 64.1 million Rs 64.1 million to citizens.
The complainants expressed their gratitude to the Ombudsman Punjab for the prompt redressal of their grievances, transparent handling of their cases, and the provision of effective administrative justice. They also reaffirmed their confidence in the institution for safeguarding citizens' rights through swift and impartial complaint resolution.

Rawalpindi : ReNews Pakistan
The Rawalpindi Development Authority has reopened the city’s only multi storey parking plaza at Fawara Chowk after a 20 day closure caused by unpaid dues totaling Rs 48.2 million.
The authority has taken direct control of the facility and introduced a self collection system, under which RDA staff will manage daily parking operations and collect revenue directly.
According to official sources, the previous contractor had failed to clear outstanding payments for seven consecutive months. The dispute later reached court, where the contractor reportedly offered to pay Rs 15 million. The RDA rejected the proposal and maintained that the full outstanding amount must be paid.
The parking plaza was sealed on July 12. Although the authority subsequently secured a court ruling in its favour, the facility remained closed for 20 days, resulting in an estimated daily revenue loss of more than Rs 100,000.
The closure also created considerable difficulties for motorists and traders in the heavily congested Fawara Chowk area, as the plaza is Rawalpindi’s only purpose built multi storey parking facility.
The facility resumed operations on August 1. To strengthen financial oversight and ensure timely transfer of collected revenue into the authority’s accounts, the RDA has established a Vigilance and Revenue Collection Committee.
Officials said the new arrangement is intended to improve transparency, prevent revenue leakage and ensure more effective management of the parking facility.
The authority has also decided to award the parking contract through an open auction scheduled for August 17. The bidding process is expected to introduce a new operator under revised terms and stronger monitoring mechanisms.