{"id":8871,"date":"2022-06-26T20:26:29","date_gmt":"2022-06-26T20:26:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.feeta.pk\/blog\/features-and-functions-of-punjab-land-record-authority\/"},"modified":"2023-08-07T18:17:58","modified_gmt":"2023-08-07T18:17:58","slug":"features-and-functions-of-punjab-land-record-authority","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.feeta.pk\/blog\/features-and-functions-of-punjab-land-record-authority\/","title":{"rendered":"Features and Functions of Punjab Land Record Authority"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

The Punjab Land Record Authority registration system is for keeping detailed records of matters relating to land ownership, possession, and other rights. These serve as evidence of title, make transactions easier, and prevent illegal land disposal. It is critical to understand the meaning of land in connection to property in order to comprehend the land registration system. ‘Immovable property,’ as defined by the law, includes land, buildings, benefits derived from land, objects attached to the earth, and anything permanently fastened to anything attached to the earth. This is more important in Punjab as it is the biggest province in Pakistan with the highest population. Therefore, it required the Punjab Land Record Authority.<\/span><\/p>\n

Furthermore, in Pakistan, the terms \u2018land\u2019 and \u2018property\u2019 are interchangeable. The property became a provincial topic after the 18th Amendment was passed by the Parliament in 2010, which means it is regulated by the provinces rather than the federal government. The land registration system is divided into rural and urban systems, in addition to provincial rules. The legislation is founded principally on the colonial Deeds Registration System, which records the ‘sale deed’ as a title instrument. <\/span><\/p>\n

Because the system does not provide for ownership of the title or interest in the property, this emphasizes the significance of due diligence in real estate transactions. The lack of a centralized land register and database leads to financial crimes and creates opportunities for third-party malpractices, such as brokers and fake agents, trapping uneducated investors in a \u2018capital trap\u2019.<\/span><\/p>\n

Feeta.pk<\/a>, Pakistan\u2019s smartest property portal<\/a>, takes a look at the history of land records in Pakistan and how the Punjab Land Record Authority is bringing a revolution.<\/p>\n

Framework for Land Administration:<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n

Organogram of the Punjab Land Record Authority (Source: PLRA)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The manual process of land [property] registration consists of six steps and takes two months. The stamp duty rate, which varies by region, is another crucial cost to consider when registering deeds. In Punjab, for example, stamp duty on deed registration costs 5% of the whole property value. The procedure begins with the engagement of an attorney to draft the Instrument of Transaction on stamp paper. The Land Registrar is supplied with the document for verification. <\/span><\/p>\n

The owner must deliver the paperwork to the Board of Revenue, or patwari, in order for the mutation to be recorded in the Record of Rights (Jamabandi). The patwari gives out fard, which acts as proof of ownership. The province of Punjab, on the other hand, has revolutionized its land registration system by digitizing land records. The Punjab Land Records Management and Information Systems (LRMIS) scanned 10 million pages of old records, digitized 55 million landowner records (or 98 percent of all records), and made all rural land title information available online for landowners.<\/span><\/p>\n

Land registration has become more efficient and cost-effective because of the digitization of land records. Investors’ concerns about property verification and inspection, however, <\/span>continue to this day.<\/span> With recent digitization trends in the real estate sector, the Digital Property Verification System is the ideal solution to streamline Pakistan\u2019s Land Registration System. It will raise public awareness and provide investors with instant access to information. Third parties, such as brokers and patwaris, will not be able to interfere with a digital database. It would ensure that real estate transactions are transparent and that malpractices are reduced. Bribery will be eradicated as a result of the streamlined processes of property verification and inspection.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Land Registration System’s History:<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n

\"Old<\/p>\n

Old map of Rawalpindi (Source: My Historical Pakistan Society)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Pakistan’s Land Registration System is based on the British Deeds Registration System and dates back to colonial times. The main goal was to create a repository, where the land records could be kept. In the pre-industrial era, where land was mostly used for agricultural purposes, this approach worked well. In the subcontinent, the British used this technique to collect taxes through the revenue department. <\/span><\/p>\n

However, as the number of people interested in land grew, it became clear that a more organized system of land registration was required. The Deeds Registration System, for example, does not give a record of the land title, but rather the title of the registered deed. As a result, the precise information and documentation of land rights are essentially <\/span>unavailable<\/span>. This is why there is an expanding backlog of land-related cases in Pakistan’s courts, believed to be approximately 1 million in number. Accurate and fabricated land records, imprecise border descriptions by patwaris that result in overlapping claims, and multiple registrations of the same land by various parties are all major sources of land disputes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Furthermore, in 2002, England repealed the Deeds Registration System by enacting the Torrens System-based Land Registration Act. The new system keeps track of land titles and makes it easier for investors. For example, to navigate the title of the land, an investor can browse the digital register and look for ownership facts. Similarly, the digitization of Land Records on a provincial level has made tremendous progress for the Pakistani government. However, due to the lengthy procedure of property transfer and the lack of a digital database for property verification, it is difficult to conduct safe and secure transactions.<\/span><\/p>\n

Background of PLRA:<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n

\"Logo<\/p>\n

(Source: Punjab Land Record Authority)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The Pakistani government and the World Bank struck an agreement in 2007 for a project named Land Record Management and Information System (LRMIS) in Punjab to avoid malpractices. The main goals of this program were to provide complete access to property records, increase transparency in land transactions, and improve land right holders’ tenure security.<\/span><\/p>\n

LRMIS was created with the intention of providing services in 18 Punjab districts. The project was then expanded to include all 36 districts. The World Bank also <\/span>provided insight and<\/span>\u00a0a Project Management Unit (PMU) for the digitization of land records was established in 2007.<\/span><\/p>\n

Following the completion of Project LRMIS, the Punjab government established the Punjab Land Records Authority (PLRA) in 2017 under the administrative jurisdiction of the Punjab Board of Revenue. PLRA has accomplished a lot in a short period of time. The creation of Arazi Record Centers (ARC) in all districts of Punjab especially has aided in the timely issuing of fard and eased the process of land mutation registration.<\/span><\/p>\n

PLRA’S Features and Functions:<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n

\"A<\/p>\n

(Source: gisportal.punjab-zameen.gov.pk)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Land digital titling is critical for underprivileged farmers and proprietors in Punjab to protect their property rights. As a result, land records are now being digitized, allowing the rightful property owner to be identified with a single click of a button. The Punjab Land Records Authority (PLRA) has been instrumental in transforming Punjab\u2019s land record management system. You can now acquire information about a property, land ownership in Punjab, and register your property online. The key accomplishments of the Punjab Land Records Authority are listed below.<\/span><\/p>\n