KARACHI:
In Punjab, the government and various departments and institutions are continuously taking steps to improve property records, land transfers and other administrative matters. These initiatives are certainly welcome and commendable. However, there is another basic issue that also deserves to be made an integral part of these reforms: the lack of a proper, permanent and accessible passage to the doorstep of every home. This problem is particularly serious in rural areas, where many houses do not have proper access to a main road or a nearby street. In some cases, the passage is extremely narrow; in others, it has been encroached upon or claimed as private property by someone, creating difficulties for neighbouring families. As a result, people are sometimes forced to depend on others simply to reach their own homes.
This issue is not merely about access or ease of travel; it is also a source of serious social conflict. In villages, minor disputes over pathways, streets and entrances to properties can often escalate into major and long-standing enmities. As property transfers and reforms in land records are an ongoing process, shared pathways should also be clearly identified and separated where necessary. The access route to every property and every home should be properly recorded in the official land records. The law should make it mandatory for every residential property to have at least a six-foot-wide passage leading to its doorstep or main entrance. Where several houses are situated together, a shared six-foot-wide pathway should be provided so that all residents can access their homes conveniently.
Furthermore, streets and pathways meant for public use should be legally protected as public or government property rather than being treated as the private property of individuals. No person should have the authority to block, narrow or otherwise obstruct a public passage and deprive others of their right of access.
A home is not merely a four-walled structure; the right to reach it safely, conveniently and with dignity is also an essential part of property ownership. Owning a house without having a proper route to it is, in many respects, an incomplete form of ownership.
This important issues needs to be given serious consideration by introduction of appropriate legislation to guarantee every citizen safe access to their home through a passage of at least six feet in width. Such a measure would not only provide a basic facility for the public but also help prevent countless disputes, conflicts and long-standing rivalries, particularly in rural areas.
Muhammad Iqbal Awan
Mianwali
