Patwaris exploiting flaws in new land record system
System depends on patwaris for inheritance mutation, correction of names, land demarcation
A senior official of the LRMIS said on condition of anonymity that there were errors in the computerised land record system so that it was dependent on patwaris. PHOTO: PMU FACEBOOK PAGE
LAHORE:
Even after introduction of the ‘state-of-the-art’ Land Record Management & Information System (LRMIS) people have to bribe patwaris for correction of minor errors in the land record.
After introduction of the LRMIS, patwaris are left with limited powers and they try to make as much money as they can out of these powers, The Express Tribune has learnt. Issuance of a fard (document) and registration of land mutation fall exclusively within the purview of the LRMIS. However, the system still depends on patwaris for inheritance mutation, correction of names, land demarcation and rectification of errors. Instead of fixing these errors at the institutional level, the LRMIS and patwaris shift the responsibility to landholders. Consequently, landholders have to bribe patwaris to get these errors rectified.
A lot of errors remain in the names of landholders in the computerised land record. When people contact the Land Record Centre (LRC) for issuance of a fard (paper), the centre refuses to issue it due to discrepancies in their names on their national identity cards and the land record. To rectify these errors, LRC officials tell people to get their names verified by the patwaris of their areas. When people go to the LRC for mutation of inherited land, the LRC tells them to get their family tree verified by the patwari of their area.
Jahangir Ali Khan, a resident of Goel village in the Ferozewala tehsil, says he had visited a patwari to get his and his siblings’ names corrected in the land record. He said the patwari had demanded Rs5,000 per person to expedite the matter. After some of his colleagues interceded he lowered his demand from Rs5,000 to Rs2,000 per person. Khan says he refused to pay the bribe and asked the patwari to return his application. The patwari then told him that he could pick the document in two days following the regular process. When he visited the patwari two days later, Khan says, the patwari told him to wait for two more days because he was correcting the land records of some of his seniors. He says that when he visited the patwari two days later he asked him to come back in four days.
Babar Hussain, a resident of Ferozewala, said that he had visited a patwari for verification of his family tree to apply for an inheritance mutation. The patwari demanded Rs10,000 for the job. He said that his application had been pending with the patwari for days. He said that he had now realised that he would have to pay bribe for verification of his family tree.
Muhammad Rashid, who assists patwari Rafiq of Goel village because he is ill nowadays, told The Express Tribune that patwaris had to charge the applicants to meet the expenses of their offices. Asked about the delay in disposal of applications, he said that disposal of an application could take up to six months.
Ferozewala Assistant Commissioner Rana Shakeel Aslam told The Express Tribune that the government was paying all expenses of patwaris’ offices. He said that applicants could file complaints against the patwaris demanding bribe from them. He said that he would punish the corrupt patwaris.
A senior official of the LRMIS said on condition of anonymity that there were errors in the computerised land record system so that it was dependent on patwaris. He said the LRMIS did not have any field staff. Consequently, it had to rely on patwaris for verification of family trees. He said that efforts were under way to develop a system with the help of the National Database and Registration Authority for verification of family trees.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 24th, 2016.
Even after introduction of the ‘state-of-the-art’ Land Record Management & Information System (LRMIS) people have to bribe patwaris for correction of minor errors in the land record.
After introduction of the LRMIS, patwaris are left with limited powers and they try to make as much money as they can out of these powers, The Express Tribune has learnt. Issuance of a fard (document) and registration of land mutation fall exclusively within the purview of the LRMIS. However, the system still depends on patwaris for inheritance mutation, correction of names, land demarcation and rectification of errors. Instead of fixing these errors at the institutional level, the LRMIS and patwaris shift the responsibility to landholders. Consequently, landholders have to bribe patwaris to get these errors rectified.
A lot of errors remain in the names of landholders in the computerised land record. When people contact the Land Record Centre (LRC) for issuance of a fard (paper), the centre refuses to issue it due to discrepancies in their names on their national identity cards and the land record. To rectify these errors, LRC officials tell people to get their names verified by the patwaris of their areas. When people go to the LRC for mutation of inherited land, the LRC tells them to get their family tree verified by the patwari of their area.
Jahangir Ali Khan, a resident of Goel village in the Ferozewala tehsil, says he had visited a patwari to get his and his siblings’ names corrected in the land record. He said the patwari had demanded Rs5,000 per person to expedite the matter. After some of his colleagues interceded he lowered his demand from Rs5,000 to Rs2,000 per person. Khan says he refused to pay the bribe and asked the patwari to return his application. The patwari then told him that he could pick the document in two days following the regular process. When he visited the patwari two days later, Khan says, the patwari told him to wait for two more days because he was correcting the land records of some of his seniors. He says that when he visited the patwari two days later he asked him to come back in four days.
Babar Hussain, a resident of Ferozewala, said that he had visited a patwari for verification of his family tree to apply for an inheritance mutation. The patwari demanded Rs10,000 for the job. He said that his application had been pending with the patwari for days. He said that he had now realised that he would have to pay bribe for verification of his family tree.
Muhammad Rashid, who assists patwari Rafiq of Goel village because he is ill nowadays, told The Express Tribune that patwaris had to charge the applicants to meet the expenses of their offices. Asked about the delay in disposal of applications, he said that disposal of an application could take up to six months.
Ferozewala Assistant Commissioner Rana Shakeel Aslam told The Express Tribune that the government was paying all expenses of patwaris’ offices. He said that applicants could file complaints against the patwaris demanding bribe from them. He said that he would punish the corrupt patwaris.
A senior official of the LRMIS said on condition of anonymity that there were errors in the computerised land record system so that it was dependent on patwaris. He said the LRMIS did not have any field staff. Consequently, it had to rely on patwaris for verification of family trees. He said that efforts were under way to develop a system with the help of the National Database and Registration Authority for verification of family trees.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 24th, 2016.