An alleged nexus between private middlemen and officials posted at Lahore’s land record centres has come to light, raising serious questions about compliance with court orders, revenue laws and standard operating procedures meant to ensure transparent service delivery. According to information, land record centres across the provincial capital are increasingly being run under the influence of so-called munshis (private agents), with the tacit – and in some cases active – support of service centre officials, in-charges and assistant directors land records (ADLRs). As a result, citizens are reportedly being forced to approach or accompany these middlemen to have even routine land-related matters processed.
Sources say that explicit directions issued by the Lahore High Court, the Board of Revenue Punjab and the Deputy Commissioner Lahore – barring the entry and involvement of private agents in land record centres – are being openly flouted.
Under the alleged arrangement, patwaris avoid visiting land record centres themselves and instead send revenue files through their private munshis, who are given preferential access inside the facilities. Applicants, meanwhile, are subjected to repeated objections and delays until they agree to deal through these agents. Officials familiar with the matter say the entire practice operates with the “full knowledge and patronage” of centre staff.
Evidence of collusion, sources add, is not limited to anecdotal accounts. CCTV footage from several centres reportedly shows frequent and unhindered movement of private agents within restricted areas, while regular meetings between officials and munshis at eateries and constant mobile phone contact have further fuelled suspicions of an organised racket. Some service centre in-charges, speaking on condition of anonymity, claimed that they were acting under instructions from assistant commissioners alleging that entry passes and access for munshis were granted on their recommendations. They described themselves as “helpless” in the face of administrative pressure – a claim that has sparked debate over accountability within the district administration.
The issue came into sharper focus following a complaint from a citizen regarding alleged bribery at the Walton Land Record Center. According to sources, a service centre official, along with private agents linked to a patwari from Achhra circle, was accused of first raising unwarranted objections and then facilitating their removal through the same middlemen – for a price. The written complaint prompted authorities to take notice and initiate a preliminary probe.
Legal experts say such practices amount to a blatant violation of the Punjab Land Revenue Act 1967, the Punjab Land Revenue Rules 1968 and the SOPs issued by the Punjab Land Records Authority, all of which prohibit private individuals from accessing official records or interfering in public service delivery.
Public reaction has been swift and critical. Citizens and civil society groups have demanded an immediate and complete ban on the entry of munshis into land record centres, along with impartial action against all officials found facilitating or benefiting from the arrangement. Questions are also being raised about whether assistant commissioners and other senior officers, allegedly involved in enabling the practice, will be held accountable or whether punitive action will once again be limited to junior staff.
There are growing calls for the director general of the Punjab Land Records Authority to personally intervene, order a forensic review of CCTV footage, and place the matter on the Punjab government’s performance dashboard to ensure transparency and measurable corrective action.
For many residents, the issue goes beyond one centre or a handful of officials. It reflects a deeper governance challenge: whether institutional reforms promised to insulate citizens from intermediaries are being systematically undermined from within – and whether the state has the will to reclaim its own service delivery mechanisms.