Rawalpindi: The Anti-Corruption Establishment has launched a crackdown on private clerks working in patwar khanas across Rawalpindi Division, registering cases against 10 private clerks. In response, patwaris across the district went on strike and closed patwar offices, disrupting routine land-record and property services.
The dispute has directly hit the property market. According to current reporting, hundreds of property registrations and sale-purchase transactions have been halted, while land-record fards are not being issued and property-related stamp-paper work has also been affected. Citizens reported making repeated visits to closed offices for around seven days.
The Anti-Corruption Establishment’s deputy director in Rawalpindi said private individuals cannot be allowed to handle official land records or deal with citizens inside patwar khanas. He said the operation is enforcing a Lahore High Court restriction on private clerks/munshis. Earlier administrative instructions in Punjab also referenced a 2017 Lahore High Court order directing authorities to stop private persons from working in patwar offices.
The protesting patwaris have reportedly said they will continue the strike until the anti-corruption operation is stopped.
