It is said that possession is nine-tenths of the law. This means that “ownership is easier to maintain if one has possession of something, or difficult to enforce if one does not.” In the light of the above phrase, the best suggestion for those evicted from their land or properties is either to resolve the matter out of court or look for another goon and sell him the assets for whatever pittance is offered. For, it may be one’s last chance ever to do so.

For years, Lahore has been perceived as a safe haven for land grabbers, who remain almost invariably on the loose thanks to the patronage of influential politicians, police high-ups and bureaucrats that helps them to illegally possess the properties of ordinary citizens. Possession, thus, is the key word here.

It’s no secret that the present system is fraught with lacunae, and hence the rightful owners are often made to run from pillar to post in order to regain possession of their properties. One is considered fortunate if it takes one only a few years to eventually get justice.

It is also a fact that even though the law proffers numerous ways out, in fact, none of these are practicable. Besides, the process is cumbersome, drawn-out and corrupt beyond repair. But the citizens can now hope for a better deal as the city police set up a special, anti-land mafia cell, at the office of the Capital City Police Officer. Additionally, a dedicated helpline, 1242, will attend to the grievances of the citizens.

The project, which is headed by CCPO Ghulam Mahmood Dogar, is the outcome of the recommendations made by a notified committee, which included members from Police, Revenue, LDA, Overseas Pakistanis and Cooperatives Departments, to deal with complaints of citizens regarding illegal occupation of their land and properties and harassment by the land mafia gangsters. Hence, its slogan, “Zero Tolerance for Qabza Groups in Lahore.”

It may be too early to predict the success of the project but there are some positive signs of things to come.

In an exclusive chat with TNS, Dogar says that there is going to be “no leniency for the qabza groups from now on. The police will deal with them with an iron hand.”

According to the CCPO, at least 300 accused persons have been apprehended by the police. “We won’t let anybody get away with [the crime], no matter what it takes. The case of Khokhar family is an indication of what we are up to.”

He says that the police have broken down the cases of illegal possession into three categories: fresh cases, old cases and chronic ones. “I am certain there is not even a single new case of illegal possession in the city, as we speak; thanks to our well-worked-out policy and action.”

For years, Lahore has been perceived as a safe haven for land grabbers, who remain almost invariably on the loose thanks to the patronage of influential politicians, police high-ups and bureaucrats that they have got and which helps them to illegally possess the properties of ordinary citizens.

Talking about the old cases, Dogar says, “The committee has been trying to figure out ways to clear the backlog. If deemed necessary, courts shall be approached and interim orders requested.

“There have been cases where the committee was quite successful in getting a favourable decision from the court the same day. The minute the court gave its decision, the police and other concerned departments sprang into action and got the property vacated.”

Dogar says that with regard to the older cases, the committee shall decide within the stipulated 72-hour time, while the police will take action in line with the directions of the committee. He also talks about the properties of the qabza mafia, weapons’ licences and criminal records being updated with help from all the concerned departments. “The idea is to come down hard on such criminals. We’ll ensure prompt and effective action against land grabbers.”

In response to a query, Dogar says that whoever is found guilty of patronising or conniving with the qabza mafia shall not just be taken to task strictly but will also be kicked out of the Police Department permanently.”

Narrating his tale of woe and grief, Sheikh Khalil Ahmed, an overseas Pakistani currently based in Tajpura, says that he purchased a piece of land measuring 18 marlas, near the Kala Shah Kaku Motorway Interchange, with his hard-earned money. But the qabza mafia dispossessed him of his plot. “I approached the police as well as the Overseas Pakistani Commission Punjab, but to no avail.”

Ahmed is now running from pillar to post, fighting to get his plot back.

Asad Abbas, a Lahore High Court lawyer, says that tens of thousands of cases of illegal possession of land are pending before the courts. But the administration entrusted with the task of safeguarding the rights of the owners of the properties, hasn’t done anything concrete in this regard.

“Generally, members of the qabza mafia function in groups and are successful in making contacts within the official functionaries such as Revenue and Police personnel, whose backing they get for performing the nefarious activities.”

Abbas insists that in order to root out the menace, the courts as well as the government departments will need to come up with a comprehensive strategy, in order to deal with the qabza mafia.

The writer is a senior journalist and can be reached at ahsanzia155@gmail.com