A bill was introduced in the Punjab Assembly to safeguard the properties of minorities.

A legislative proposal designed to protect the communal assets of minority groups in Punjab has been presented in the Punjab Assembly.

The proposed legislation was introduced by Falbous Christopher, Chairman of the Punjab Assembly’s Standing Committee on Minority Affairs.

The measure establishes a robust Provincial Action Committee to safeguard and manage the collective properties of all minority communities in the province.

A minority member of the provincial assembly, appointed by the chief minister, will preside over the committee.

The members will consist of the Secretary for Human Rights and Minority Affairs, the Secretary for Law and Parliamentary Affairs, the Senior Member of the Board of Revenue, and the Deputy Inspector General of Police Punjab.

Furthermore, six distinguished individuals from minority populations, including a minimum of one woman, shall be designated as members of the committee.

The proposed legislation mandates the Provincial Action Committee to develop and uphold a thorough registry of all collective properties possessed by minority populations throughout Punjab.

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It will additionally oversee encroachments, unlawful occupations, and the improper use of such lands.

The committee will be authorized to evaluate issues concerning the sale, transfer, lease, and mortgage of collective properties and will present its recommendations to the government.

It will also assist minority groups in confronting difficulties pertaining to their collective assets.

The legislation mandates that no communal property can be sold, transferred, leased, or mortgaged without prior governmental authorization.

Any transaction conducted without official authorization will lack legal validity.

The statute explicitly states that no individual may assert sole ownership of communal property.

The legislation stipulates that individuals convicted of illegally selling, transferring, or leasing minority communal property may be sentenced to a maximum of seven years in prison and subjected to a fine of Rs100,000.