Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The federal government is all set to get the approval of the Illegal Dispossession Amendment Bill 2016, from the parliament, to safeguard the interst of those people whose property was taken from them forcibly and the land mafia would be senteced to three years if they commited a crime under this purposed act, the interior ministry sources told Daily Times.

This bill was drafted on the directions of Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and would be taken into consideration on July 21 ,by the National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior, sources said.

According to the draft of bill which is available with Daily Times,after the approval from the parliament the bill shall immediately come into force.

Whoever forcibly and wrongfully dispossesses any owner or occupier of any property shall be punshied with imprisonment which may extend to three years or with fine or both, in addition to any other punshiment to which he may be liable under any other law for the time being in force. The person dispossessed shall also be compensated ,the bill says.

The bill further says that whenever a local inquiry is necessary for the purpose of this act ,the court may direct a megistrate or a revenue officer in the district to make an inquiry and submit a report within a specified period by the court. The report of the magistrate or revenue officer, as the case may be ,shall be construed as evidence in the case.

On the conclusion of the trial, if the complaint is found to be false, frivolous or vexatious, the court may award the compensatory cost to the person complained against which may extend to five hundred thousand rupees, the bill says.

The right of appeal would be given to the affected person that he may go to appeal in the high court in 30 days against the decision of a lower court.