LAHORE
A contempt of court petition has been filed in the Lahore High Court (LHC) against Punjab Chief Minister
Maryam Nawaz Sharif and Provincial Information Minister Azma Bukhari over their public statements criticizing a recent court order suspending the Punjab Protection of Ownership of Immovable Property Ordinance, 2025.
The petition was submitted by citizen Munir Ahmed through his counsel, Advocate Azhar Siddique. It alleges that the remarks made by the chief minister and the information minister undermined the judiciary’s authority, damaged its reputation, and attempted to politicize a judicial decision.
According to the petitioner, Maryam Nawaz’s statements including claims that the LHC’s suspension of the ordinance was not in line with superior judiciary principles and would benefit “land mafias” and “encroachment mafias” amounted to scandalizing the court and interfering with judicial processes. Similar allegations were leveled against Azma Bukhari for echoing these views.
The petition argues that such comments from high-ranking officials violate constitutional norms and could prejudice ongoing judicial proceedings. It requests the LHC to issue show-cause notices to both leaders and initiate contempt proceedings against them.
The controversy stems from an interim order issued by LHC Chief Justice Aalia Neelum on December 22, 2025, suspending the operation of the ordinance. The law, promulgated by the Punjab government and approved by CM Maryam Nawaz in October, aimed to provide swift resolution of property disputes through deputy commissioner-led committees, targeting illegal land occupations and offering relief to vulnerable owners, particularly women and the underprivileged.
During hearings, Justice Neelum expressed concerns over the ordinance concentrating “unchecked powers” in the executive, potentially bypassing civil courts and fundamental rights. She also ordered the reversal of possessions transferred under the law and recommended forming a full bench for detailed hearings.
In response, Maryam Nawaz issued a statement criticizing the suspension, saying it contradicted established judicial precedents and would harm ordinary citizens while empowering land grabbers. Provincial ministers and treasury members defended the law in the Punjab Assembly, framing it as a measure against powerful mafias.
Legal experts and bar associations have largely supported the LHC’s intervention, viewing the ordinance as encroaching on judicial domain. The government later softened its tone amid reports of the impending contempt action, expressing willingness to address any flaws in the law through court.
