ISLAMABAD: The Senate unanimously passed the Establishment of Special Court (Overseas Pakistanis Property) Bill, 2024 on Thursday, mandating that special courts resolve cases within 90 days.
Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resources Development, Chaudhry Salik Hussain, introduced the bill to set up special courts dedicated to addressing property disputes of overseas Pakistanis. The bill aims to streamline the resolution of issues related to immovable property for Pakistanis living abroad.
Highlighting the bill’s importance, Salik stated that it was introduced in response to the strong demand from overseas Pakistanis. It also facilitates a secure online process for land purchases, eliminating the need for overseas Pakistanis to travel back to Pakistan for property matters.
Leader of the House, Senator Syed Ali Zafar, praised the bill for addressing the needs of overseas Pakistanis. Similarly, Senator Danish Kumar shared that many overseas Pakistanis had approached him, requesting a law to safeguard their properties in Pakistan, particularly through an online purchasing process that would reduce travel costs.
Senator Irfan Ul Haq Siddiqui confirmed that the bill had already received committee approval.
Key Provisions of the Bill:
During the case proceedings, the court will prevent the transfer of property until a verdict is reached.
The federal government, in consultation with the Islamabad High Court chief justice, will establish special courts for overseas Pakistanis.
These courts will have judges with the authority of a district court judge, and overseas Pakistanis can file petitions concerning immovable property in these courts.
The court will address disputes related to property possession, ownership, and value.
Petitions can be filed electronically (online), and if a respondent fails to appear twice, the court will proceed in their absence.
The court will grant only two chances for a party to submit evidence.
Overseas Pakistanis will be allowed to attend court hearings via video link.
The special courts are required to settle cases within 90 days, and appeals can be filed in the high court, which must also resolve them within 90 days.
