Punjab Province

Rahim Yar Khan: [Riaz Hussain ReNews Pakistan]
In Rahim Yar Khan, the first Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certified Environmental Testing Laboratory in South Punjab has been inaugurated at Khawaja Fareed University of Engineering and Information Technology (KFUEIT).
The inauguration was carried out by Prof. Dr. Niaz Ahmad Akhtar, Chairman of the Higher Education Commission (HEC), during his visit to the university.
The state of the art laboratory will provide advanced facilities for testing soil, water, and air quality. Its objective is not only to promote environmental protection but also to bridge the gap between academia and the industrial sector.
Addressing the ceremony, the HEC Chairman stated that the establishment of such research centers is essential for sustainable development, advanced research, and institutional improvement. He emphasized that aligning Pakistan’s higher education institutions with international standards is the need of the hour.
He further reiterated the government’s commitment to promoting higher education, improving research quality, and providing scholarships to students.
He noted that equipping youth with modern scientific facilities is crucial for the country’s development.
During the visit, the Vice Chancellor and other senior officials briefed the HEC Chairman on ongoing research projects, laboratories, and infrastructure development at the university. On this occasion, participation in green campus initiatives and a tree plantation campaign also reflected a renewed commitment to environmental protection.
It is worth mentioning that the university, established in 2014, is playing a significant role in promoting education and research in engineering, science, and information technology in South Punjab.

Chiniot | ReNews Pakistan
The Punjab government has intensified efforts to advance a proposed steel mill project in Chiniot, seeking to tap into the district’s substantial iron ore reserves and strengthen the province’s industrial capacity.
Provincial Secretary for Mines and Minerals, Pervaiz Iqbal, visited Chiniot on Monday to assess progress on land acquisition for the project. He was accompanied by Deputy Commissioner Ayesha Rizwan and other senior officials.
During the visit, the secretary held detailed discussions with district authorities and inspected potential sites designated for the steel mill. Officials provided briefings on the estimated volume of iron ore deposits, proposed mining methods, processing infrastructure, and the overall land requirements for the project.
The initiative is being viewed as a significant step toward enhancing industrial activity in Punjab while effectively utilizing local mineral resources. Authorities believe the project could help reduce Pakistan’s dependence on imported steel and contribute to long term economic growth.
Iqbal directed relevant departments to ensure that land acquisition is carried out in a transparent and timely manner to prevent delays. He also stressed the need for strong inter departmental coordination to keep the project on schedule.
District officials assured full administrative support, noting that efforts are underway to ensure smooth execution and adherence to development timelines.
Once operational, the Chiniot steel mill is expected to create employment opportunities and stimulate downstream industries, particularly in construction and manufacturing.

Lahore | ReNews Pakistan
The Lahore High Court (LHC) has ruled that successors cannot revive stale and time barred claims if the original owner failed to challenge a property mutation during his lifetime, reinforcing the importance of limitation laws and legal certainty in property matters.
The judgment was delivered in a petition filed by Jan Muhammad, who sought to challenge the mutation of inherited agricultural land after an extraordinary lapse of nearly eight decades. The court categorically held that such an inordinate delay is wholly inexcusable and cannot be condoned under the guise of inheritance rights.
While acknowledging that inheritance rights may, in certain circumstances, be recurring in nature, the court emphasized that this principle is not absolute. It remains subject to equitable considerations, including delay, acquiescence, and the overall conduct of the parties.
The court observed that, based on both oral and documentary evidence, the rule of inheritance at the relevant time was governed by custom. It noted that prior to 1948, individuals acquiring agricultural land became its absolute owners under customary law. Following the enforcement of the Punjab Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act, 1948, and subsequently Section 2-A of the West Pakistan Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act, 1962, such ownership rights were further recognized and protected.
In its ruling, the LHC found that the petitioners failed to establish any jurisdictional defect, illegality, or material irregularity in the impugned judgment and decree that would warrant interference under the court’s revisional jurisdiction.
The court also underscored that long-standing entries in the revenue record, particularly those in favor of the respondents, are protected under Section 52 of the West Pakistan Land Revenue Act, 1967. It held that once the prescribed limitation period expires, a vested right accrues in favor of the opposite party.
Highlighting another critical aspect, the court noted that numerous mutations and subsequent transfers had taken place on the basis of the contested mutation, thereby creating valuable rights in favor of third parties, including bona fide purchasers. It warned that disturbing such settled entries after several decades would lead to uncertainty, instability, and chaos in property relations.
The court reaffirmed that longstanding revenue entries carry a presumption of correctness, which strengthens over time. It further observed that the appellate court had conducted a comprehensive and judicious appraisal of the evidence, producing well reasoned findings firmly anchored in law.
Finding no misreading or non-reading of evidence, and no indication of perversity or arbitrariness, the LHC concluded that the appellate court had committed no illegality in issuing the impugned judgment and decree, thereby dismissing the petition.