Property Disputes Overwhelm SHC, ABAD Urge Swift Resolution

Chairman of the Association of Builders and Developers (ABAD), Muhammad Hassan Bakhshi, has voiced concerns over the increasing backlog of property and land dispute cases in Sindh High Court, stating that billions of rupees are tied up in unresolved legal battles. He announced plans to invite the Chief Justice of Sindh High Court to discuss the issue.

Speaking at a gathering, Sindh High Court Bar Association President Sarfaraz Ali Metlo said that to expedite property dispute resolutions, all such cases have been transferred from the high court to local courts.

A delegation from the Sindh High Court Bar Association, including former president Saleem Mangrio and other office bearers, visited ABAD House to discuss the matter. The event was attended by ABAD’s Patron-in-Chief Mohsin Sheikhani, Senior Vice Chairman Syed Afzal Hamid, Vice Chairman Tariq Aziz, Southern Region Chairman Ahmed Owais Thanvi, and several members.

Bakhshi highlighted that property disputes constitute the largest share of pending cases in the Sindh High Court, yet many remain unheard for years. He lamented that while people approach courts seeking justice, cases are often stalled due to stay orders. Additionally, lawyers demand exorbitant fees for handling land dispute cases, making legal recourse costly for many.

Sarfaraz Ali Metlo pointed out that the limited number of judges in the Sindh High Court makes it impossible to efficiently hear 25,000 to 30,000 cases. He suggested that since high court judges are not well-versed in business-related cases, commercial disputes often face long delays. He welcomed the transfer of property dispute cases to lower courts, arguing that local courts can deliver verdicts faster, reducing the usual legal timeframe.

“Civil and district session judges can handle these cases more efficiently. In lower courts, property cases can be resolved within a year, while in the high court, they can drag on for years,” he said. Metlo also noted that while accountability mechanisms exist for lower courts, no formal system is in place to assess high court judges’ performance.

Speaking at the event, ABAD’s Patron-in-Chief Mohsin Sheikhani called the transfer of property and land-grab cases to local courts a welcome move but stressed that the process must be expedited. He criticized the Anti-Corruption Department for its inefficiency, stating that despite repeated complaints about illegal land occupations, no concrete action has been taken.

Sheikhani further revealed that informal settlements are being regularized into proper housing societies, and a memorandum of understanding (MoU) will be signed next week between ABAD and Karachi’s mayor to facilitate the process. He also raised concerns that courts prioritize political cases, while land encroachment cases remain ignored. Former ABAD Senior Vice Chairman Ibrahim Habib expressed optimism that transferring land dispute cases from the Sindh High Court would yield positive results. He urged legal experts to provide guidance on the transition process. Former Sindh High Court Bar Association President Saleem Mangrio also addressed the gathering, stressing the need for urgent reforms in the judicial system to tackle property-related disputes effectively.