{ "schema_version": "qanun-law-text/1", "id": "punjab-code-142d79a499697bca", "title": "LAND REFORMS ACT, 1977", "source_collection": "Punjab", "content_kind": "stored_law_text", "content_extent": null, "source_url": "https://punjabcode.punjab.gov.pk/en/show_article/UWRQYwA2VWI-", "version": null, "source_snapshot": "2026-08-06T16:39:18Z", "legal_status": "not independently verified", "text_quality": "Complete stored UTF-8 TXT file recovered byte-for-byte from owned Drive. Source transcription retained verbatim; legal completeness, OCR accuracy and current consolidation unverified.", "text_sha256": "6afd4b5950e41c8379ca0173e74257892f43c0401355d86be9063cb9841845dc", "source_sha256": "6afd4b5950e41c8379ca0173e74257892f43c0401355d86be9063cb9841845dc", "text_version_id": "law:punjab-code-142d79a499697bca:sha256:6afd4b5950e41c8379ca0173e74257892f43c0401355d86be9063cb9841845dc", "quality_flags": [], "encoding": "UTF-8", "text": "THE LAND REFORMS ACT, 1977 \r\n(II of 1977) \r\nCONTENTS \r\nCHAPTER I \r\nPRELIMINARY \r\n1. Short title, extent and commencement \r\n2. Definitions \r\nCHAPTER II \r\nRESTRICTION ON OWNERSHIP AND POSSESSION OF LAND \r\n3. Limits on individual holding \r\n4. Choice and exchange of land \r\n5. Partitioning of joint holdings and undivided Shamilat \r\n6. Certain transfers void \r\nCHAPTER III \r\nOBTAINING OF DECLARATIONS, VESTING OF LAND IN GOVERNMENT \r\n7. Declarations \r\n8. Certain restrictions on cutting of trees and dismantling or removal of \r\npermanent installations or structures \r\n9. Vesting in Government of excess land \r\n10. Permanent installations and structures \r\nCHAPTER IV \r\nCOMPENSATION \r\n11. Compensation for land \r\n12. Compensation for permanent installations, structures and buildings \r\n13. Payment of compensation \r\n14. Transfer of encumbrance or charge \r\nCHAPTER V \r\nUTILIZATION OF SURRENDERED LAND \r\n15. Disposal of surrendered land \r\n16. Conditions for grant of land \r\n17. Utilization of land \r\nCHAPTER VI \r\nLAND COMMISSIONS \r\n18. Functions of Federal Land Commission \r\n19. Powers and functions of a Provincial Land Commission \r\n20. Power to set up originations, etc \r\n21. Power to make rules \r\n22. Delegation of powers \r\n23. Reconstitution of a Commission \r\n24. Power to review \r\n25. Abatement of pending proceedings \r\n26. Removal of doubt \r\n27. Powers of the Federal Government \r\nCHAPTER VII \r\nBAR OF JURISDICTION AND INDEMNITY \r\n28. Bar of jurisdiction \r\n29. Indemnity \r\nCHAPTER VIII \r\nMISCELLANEOUS \r\n30. Act to override other laws, etc \r\n31. Power to exempt \r\n32. Removal of difficulties \r\nCHAPTER IX \r\nPUNISHMENT AND PROCEDURE \r\n33. Offences and penalties \r\n34. Cognizance of offence \r\n35. Omitted \r\nTEXT \r\n1\r\nTHE LAND REFORMS ACT, 1977 \r\n(II of 1977) \r\n[9th January, 1977] \r\nAn \r\nAct \r\nto provide for further land reforms \r\n Whereas it is in the supreme national interest to bring about a more equitable \r\ndistribution of wealth by carrying out further land reforms; \r\n And whereas clause (1) of Article 253 of the Con stitution of the Islamic \r\nRepublic of Pakistan provides that Parliament may by law prescribe the maximum \r\nlimits as to property or any class thereof which may be owned, held, possessed or \r\ncontrolled by any person; \r\n It is hereby enacted as follows:– \r\nCHAPTER I \r\nPRELIMINARY \r\n1. Short title, extent and commencement .– (1) This Act may be called the \r\nLand Reforms Act, 1977. \r\n (2) It extends to the whole of Pakistan. \r\n (3) It shall come into force at once. \r\n2. Definitions.– In this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or \r\ncontext,– \r\n(1) \"Commission\" means a Federal or a Provincial Land Commission \r\nconstituted under the Land Reforms Regulation, 1972; \r\n(2) \"Government\" means, in relation to the Islamabad Capital Territory, the \r\nFederal Government, and in relati on to a Province, the Government of \r\nthat Province; \r\n(3) \"irrigated land\" means land irrigated by a canal, tubewell, well, lift, \r\nspring, tank or by any other artificial means of irrigation; \r\n(4) \"land\" means land which is occupied or has been and can be let f or \r\nagricultural purposes or for purposes allied or subservient to \r\nagriculture, and includes the sites of buildings on such land but does \r\nnot include land occupied as the site of a village, town, factory or \r\nindustrial establishment; \r\n(5) \"orchard\" means land under fruit trees planted to a density of twenty -\r\nfive trees or more per acre grown and maintained by human effort; \r\n \r\n1This Act of Parliament received the assent of the President on the 9 th January, 1977 and was published in the Gazette of \r\nPakistan, Extraordinary, Part I, dated January 9, 1977. The Land Reforms Ordinance, 1977 (II of 1977) made by the President \r\non 5th January, 1977 was repealed and replaced by this Act. \r\n(6) \"owner\" includes a person deemed to be an owner under sub -section \r\n(4) of section 184 of the West Pakistan Land Revenue Act, 1967 (W.P. \r\nAct XVII of 1967); \r\n(7) \"person\" includes a religious, educational or charitable institution, every \r\ntrust whether public or private, a Hindu undivided family, a company or \r\nassociation or body of individuals, and a cooperative or other society, \r\nbut does not include a local authority, a university established by law, a \r\njoint stock company which is directly or indirectly held or controlled by \r\nFederal Government or a Provincial Government or by both or any \r\nother body in which the Government holds majority interest; \r\n(8) \"public dues\" include dues payable by a person to the Federal \r\nGovernment, or a Provincial Government or to a body directly or \r\nindirectly controlled by such Government; \r\n(9) \"prescribed\" means prescribed by rules made under this Act; \r\n(10) \"President\" means the President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan; \r\n(11) \"produce index unit\" means the measure in terms of which the \r\ncomparative productivity of an area of land of a particular kind in a \r\nparticular assessment circle or area was computed and expresse d for \r\nthe purposes of the schemes relating to the resettlement of displaced \r\npersons on land or was determined under the provisions of the \r\nrepealed Land Reforms Regulation, 1959 and the Land Reforms \r\nRegulation, 1972 and in respect of the assessment circle or area where \r\nno such unit was determined, such measure as may be determined by \r\nthe Commission for the Province within which such assessment circle \r\nor area is situate; \r\n(12) \"tenant\" means a person who holds land under another person, and is, \r\nor but for a s pecial contract would be, liable to pay rent for that land to \r\nthat other person and includes the predecessors and successors -in-\r\ninterest of such person; but does not include– \r\n(a) a mortgagee of the rights of a land-owner, or \r\n2\r\n[(b) a person holding any land under the Federal Government or a \r\nProvincial Government or under any such statutory authority \r\ncorporation set up by any such Government as may be notified by it in \r\nthis behalf, or] \r\n(c) a person to whom a holding has been transferred, or an estate or \r\nholding has been let in farm under the West Pakistan Land Revenue \r\nAct, 1967, for the recovery of an arrear of land revenue or of a sum \r\nrecoverable as such an arrear \r\n3\r\n[, or] \r\n \r\n21. Substituted by the Land Reforms (Amendment) Order, 1979 (President‟s Order No. 16 of 1979). \r\n 2. Article 6 of the Land Reforms (Amendment) Order, 1979 provides as under: \r\n “6. Validation.- Anything done, action taken or order passed on or after the fifth day of January, 1977, in exercise of any \r\npower conferred by or under the Land Reforms Act, 1977 (II of 1977), as amended by this Order, shall be deemed to have \r\nbeen validity done, take n or passed, as if this Order were in force on the day on which such thing, action or order was \r\ndone, taken or passed.” \r\n3Substituted ibid for semi-colon. \r\n4\r\n[(d) a lessee cultivating the land, either himself or through another person;] \r\n(13) \"unirrigated land\" means land other than irrigated land and includes \r\nland fed by rains, floods, hill torrents, and uncultivable or waste land. \r\nCHAPTER II \r\nRESTRICTION ON OWNERSHIP AND POSSESSION OF LAND \r\n5[3. Limits on individual holding .– \r\n6\r\n[Save as otherwise provided in this Act, no] \r\nperson shall after the commencement of this Act, own or possess land, including his \r\nshare in Shamilat, if any, in excess of one hundred acres of irrigated land or two \r\nhundred acres of unirrigated land, or irrigated and unirrigated land the aggregate of \r\nwhich exceeds one hundred acres of irrigated land (one acre of irrigated land being \r\nreckoned as equivalent to two acres of unirrigated land) or an area equivalent to \r\neight thousand produce index units of land calculated on the basis of classification of \r\nsoil as entered in thy Revenue Records for Kharif, 1976, whichever shall be greater: \r\n Provided that in determining the entitlement of a person any improvement \r\nmade by him on his land after the commencement of this Act, shall not be tak en into \r\naccount.] \r\n7\r\n[4. Choice and exchange of land.– Save as otherwise provided in this Act– \r\n(1) a person who owns or possesses land including his share in Shamilat, \r\nif any, in excess to his entitlement under this Act shall, out of such land, \r\nselect in co mpact blocks as large as possible, the area which he is \r\nentitled to retain; \r\n(2) a person who is required to surrender land under this Act, before doing \r\nso, may, if allowed by an officer of the district concerned who is \r\nauthorized by a Commission in this be half, exchange the whole or any \r\npart of such land with land owned or possessed within the same district \r\nby any member of his family for the purpose of consolidation on the \r\nbasis of equality of produce index value of the land proposed to be \r\nexchanged; \r\n(3) no appeal shall lie in any court or before any authority whatsoever \r\nagainst an exchange of land allowed or disallowed under sub -section \r\n(2). \r\nExplanation.– For the purpose of sub-section (2) \"family\" shall mean father, mother, \r\nbrothers, sisters, husband, wife or wives, sons and daughters.] \r\n8\r\n[5. Partitioning of joint holdings and undivided Shamilat .– Notwithstanding \r\nanything contained in any other law for the time being in force, a joint holding or an \r\n \r\n4Added ibid. \r\n5By order of the Shariat Appellate Bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan in Qazalbash Wa qf case reported in PLD 1990 SC \r\n99, the whole of sections 3, 4, 5, 6, 7(5), 8, 9, 10 and consequentially the whole of sections 11 to 17 of the Act were held \r\nrepugnant to the Injunctions of Islam and they ceased to have effect prospectively w.e.f. 23rd March, 1990. The interpretation of \r\nthe relevant provisions of Chapter 3A of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973 is contained in the judgm ent \r\nof the Supreme Court of Pakistan reported in PLD 1988 SC 287. The effect of self -executory provisions of the Land Reforms \r\nlaw is explained in the judgments of the Supreme Court of Pakistan reported in PLD 1989 SC 550 and PLD 1998 SC 132. \r\n6Substituted for the word „No‟ by the Land Reforms (Amendment) Ordinance, 1979 (XXXVII of 1979). \r\n7Footnote 5 explains the position. \r\n8Footnote 5 explains the position. \r\nundivided shamilat shall, for the purposes of this Act, be subject to partition to the \r\nextent of the share of a person who elects to surrender the whole or part of his share \r\nin such joint holding or such undivided Shamilat.] \r\n9\r\n[6. Certain transfers void.– (1) The transfer of any land, and the creation of any \r\nright or interest in, or encumbrance on any land, made in any manner whatsoever in \r\nrespect of any area, on or after the commencement of this Act by any person holding \r\nimmediately before that date an area exceeding his entitlement under section 3, shall \r\nbe and sh all be deemed always to have been void, and the land so transferred or \r\nencumbered shall be deemed to have been owned or possessed, as the case may \r\nbe, by the person by whom it was owned or possessed immediately before that date. \r\n (2) Nothing in sub -section (1) shall apply to any transfer of land or the \r\ncreation of any right or interest in or encumbrance on any land left with a person \r\nafter he has surrendered the land in excess to his entitlement under this Act.] \r\nCHAPTER III \r\nOBTAINING OF DECLARATIONS, VESTING OF LAND IN GOVERNMENT \r\n7. Declarations.– (1) A Provincial Land Commission may, by notification in the \r\nofficial Gazette, require that any person or class of persons mentioned therein, shall \r\nsubmit such declaration to such authority, in such manner and form and by such \r\ndate, as may be specified in the notification. \r\n (2) In case a person, who is required to make declaration under this \r\nsection, owns or possesses land in more than one Province, he shall make the \r\ndeclaration to the Commission for the Province wh ere he permanently resides, and \r\nthe said Commission may call for any information in respect of the declaration from \r\nany other Province where the declarant owns or possesses land and pass orders \r\nthereon. \r\n (3) In case a person, who is required to make declar ation under this \r\nsection, owns or possesses land in a Province but resides permanently in another \r\nProvince or abroad, he shall make the declaration to the Commission for the \r\nProvince in which he owns or possesses land. \r\n (4) In case of a minor or a person o f unsound mind, the declaration \r\nrequired under this section, shall be made on his behalf, by his guardian. \r\n \r\n10\r\n[(5) Where a person fails to make a declaration under this section, an \r\nofficer of the district concerned, who is authorized by a Commission in this behalf, \r\nshall, of his own motion or otherwise, and after calling for such information and \r\nrecording such evidence as he may deem necessary, determine the land owned or \r\npossessed by such person in excess to his entitlement under this Act and make an \r\norder to this effect.] \r\n11\r\n[8. Certain restrictions on cutting of trees and dismantling or removal of \r\npermanent installations or structures.– A person, who owns or possesses land in \r\nexcess to his entitlement under this Act, or any one on his behalf shall not, with \r\n \r\n9Footnote 5 explains the position. \r\n10Footnote 5 explains the position. \r\n11Footnote 5 explains the position. \r\neffect from the commencement of this Act, cut or remove any tree or dismantle, \r\ndemolish, damage or remove any permanent installation or structure, including \r\nbuildings and tubewells on land, owned or possessed by him until the land in excess \r\nto his entitlement has been surrendered by him under this Act.] \r\n12\r\n[9. Vesting in Government of excess land .– (1) Land in excess of the area \r\npermissible for retention by a person under section 3, shall be surrendered by him \r\n13\r\n[****] to the Land Commission of the Province wh ere such land is situate, and it \r\nshall vest in Government free of any encumbrance or charge: \r\n Provided that rights and obligations of any person in respect of the standing \r\ncrops on land surrendered under this section shall remain unaffected until 14[the \r\nstanding crops are removed or the 30 th day of June next following, whichever is \r\nearlier.] \r\n (2) Land determined, under sub-section (5) of section 7, to be in excess to \r\nthe entitlement of a person shall vest forthwith in the Government free of any \r\nencumbrance or charge and the defaulter shall be deemed to have forfeited the right \r\nand option under section 4. \r\n (3) Any land under litigation which is in excess to the entitlement of a \r\nperson under this Act, shall vest in the Government subject to the final adjudicati on \r\nof the rights of the litigants. \r\n (4) Any land surrendered by a person which was in his possession as a \r\nlessee or mortgagee shall not vest in Government but shall, subject to the provision \r\nof section 3, revert to lessor or mortgagor, as the case may be. \r\n \r\n15\r\n[(5) Any land surrendered by a person which was held by him as the \r\nlandlord of an occupancy tenant or a Muqarraridar or as an Ala Malik shall not vest in \r\nGovernment but shall, subject to the other provisions of this Act, vest in the \r\noccupancy tenant, Muq arraridar or Adna Malik, as the case may be, free from any \r\nencumbrance or charge.] \r\n16\r\n[10. Permanent installations and structures .– Permanent installations and \r\nstructures, including buildings and tubewells on land surrendered under section 9, \r\nshall not be re moved, damaged, dismantled or demolished, and shall vest in \r\nGovernment alongwith such land, free of any encumbrance or charge.] \r\nCHAPTER IV \r\nCOMPENSATION \r\n17\r\n[11. Compensation for land .– The Federal Government shall in respect of land \r\nsurrendered under section 9, pay compensation to the persons concerned at the rate \r\nof rupees thirty per produce index unit.] \r\n \r\n12Footnote 5 explains the position. \r\n13The words and comma “within four months of the commencement of this Act,” omitted by the Land Reforms (Amendment) \r\nOrder, 1979 (President‟s Order No. 16 of 1979). \r\n14Substituted ibid for the figures, letters, words and comma “30th day of June, 1977”. \r\n15Added ibid. \r\n16Footnote 5 explains the position. \r\n17Footnote 5 explains the position. \r\n18\r\n[12. Compensation for permanent installations, structures and buildings .– \r\nCompensation for permanent installations and structures including buildings and \r\ntubewells on land surrendered under this Act, shall be determined and paid by the \r\nFederal Government on the basis of actual cost incurred subject to such scale of \r\ndepreciation as may be prescribed.] \r\n19\r\n[13. Payment of compensation .– (1) Payment of compensation under sections \r\n11 and 12 shall be made through heritable bonds which shall be transferable and \r\nnegotiable through or with banks and which shall be redeemable, at the discretion of \r\nthe Federal Government, by 30 th day of June, 1987 and shall carry interest per \r\nannum, with effect from the first day of July, 1977, at the rate of one per cent above \r\nthe bank rate as notified by the State Bank of Pakistan, from time to time. \r\n (2) Where the total amount of compensation payable to a person under \r\nthis Chapter, does not exceed rupees five thousand, the Federal Government may \r\npay the compensation in cash. \r\n (3) Payment of compensation under this section shall be made to the \r\nperson concerned after deducting such public dues, owed by him, whose payment \r\nhad fallen due on the commencement of this Act and which remained unpaid upto \r\nthe date of payment of compensation.] \r\n20\r\n[14. Transfer of encumbrance or charge .– Any encumbrance or charge existing \r\non land surrendered by a person or on permanent installations and structures \r\nincluding tubewells on such land, shall be deemed to be an encumbrance or charge \r\non land retained by him under this Act: \r\n Provided that if the encumbrance or charge exceeds the value of the land left \r\nwith a person, it shall to the extent of such excess, be dee med to be an \r\nencumbrance or charge on the bonds payable to him as compensation.] \r\nCHAPTER V \r\nUTILIZATION OF SURRENDERED LAND \r\n21\r\n[15. Disposal of surrendered land .– (1) Land vested in Government under this \r\nAct, shall, subject to the provisions of this section, be granted free of charge to the \r\ntenants who are shown in the Revenue Records to be in cultivating possession of it \r\nduring Kharif 1976 and Rabi 1975-76: \r\n \r\n22\r\n[Provided that where, at any time after the commencement of this Act, a \r\nperson acquires any land by reason of which the area of the land owned or \r\npossessed by him exceeds the limit fixed by section 3, the land surrendered by him \r\nshall be granted free of charge to such tenant as is shown in the revenue records to \r\nbe in cultivating possession of the land i n the Kharif and Rabi immediately preceding \r\nsuch acquisition: \r\n \r\n18Footnote 5 explains the position. \r\n19Footnote 5 explains the position. \r\n20Footnote 5 explains the position. \r\n21Footnote 5 explains the position. \r\n22Substituted by the Land Reforms (Amendment) order, 1979 (P.O. No.16 of 1979). \r\n Provided further that no land shall be granted to a tenant who but for the \r\ncoming into force of this Act, would have been entitled to inherit land from a person \r\nwho is required to surrender land under section 9.] \r\n (2) Where any tenant who is entitled to grant of land under sub -section (1) \r\nalready owns land, he shall be granted only so much land which together with the \r\nland already owned by him, does not exceed twelve acres. \r\n (3) Land which is no t granted under sub -sections (1) and (2) shall be \r\ngranted to other landless tenants or persons owning less than twelve acres.] \r\n23\r\n[16. Conditions for grant of land .– (1) Grant of land under section 15 shall be \r\nmade on the following conditions:– \r\n(a) a grantee or his heirs shall not alienate by sale, gift, mortgage or \r\notherwise the land or any portion thereof during a period of twenty \r\nyears from the date of the grant: \r\nProvided that for the purpose of obtaining a loan for the development of \r\nthe land the grantee or his heirs may mortgage it in favour of \r\nGovernment, a Government sponsored institution or a cooperative \r\nsociety; \r\n (b) a grantee or his heirs shall not sublet the land. \r\n (2) The Provincial Land Commission concerned may cancel a grant for \r\nviolation of any of the terms and conditions of the grant after giving an opportunity of \r\nbeing heard to the grantee or his heirs, as the case may be.] \r\n24\r\n[17. Utilization of land .– Notwithstanding anything contained in section 15, a \r\nProvincial Government may, subject to the approval of the Federal Government, \r\nutilize or dispose of land surrendered under section 9 for such public purpose and in \r\nsuch manner as the Provincial Government may deem fit, if it is– \r\n (a) an orchard; or \r\n(b) land surrendered by any religious, charitable or educational society or \r\ninstitution; or \r\n (c) land surrendered by any trust or waqf, whether public or private: or \r\n(d) land under Shikargahs and stud or livestock farms\r\n25\r\n[:] \r\n \r\n26\r\n[Provided that if, in the public interest, the Provincial Government decides to \r\nlease out any such land, the person by whom it was surrendered shall have the right \r\nof first option to the grant of lease of the land or of such portion thereof as the \r\nProvincial Government may deem fit.] \r\n \r\n23Footnote 5 explains the position. \r\n24Footnote 5 explains the position. \r\n25Substituted for full-stop by the Land Reforms (Amendment) Ordinance, 1979 (XXXVII of 1979). \r\n26Added ibid. \r\nCHAPTER VI \r\nLAND COMMISSIONS \r\n18. Functions of Fede ral Land Commission .– The Federal Land Commission \r\nshall– \r\n (1) coordinate the functioning of Provincial Land Commissions; \r\n(2) assist the Federal Government in deciding any dispute or difference \r\nbetween two or more Provincial Land Commissions; \r\n(3) assist the Federal Government in the exercise of its powers under \r\nsection 27; \r\n(4) issue such directions to any or all Provincial Land Commissions as \r\nmay be necessary for the purposes of this Act; \r\n(5) perform such other functions as may, from time to time, be assigne d to \r\nit by the Federal Government. \r\n19. Powers and functions of a Provincial Land Commission .– Subject to the \r\nprovisions of this Act, a Provincial Land Commission shall exercise all powers and \r\nperform all functions necessary for the implementation of this A ct in the Province \r\nconcerned. \r\n20. Power to set up organizations, etc .– A Commission may set up such \r\norganizations and appoint such authorities, officers and staff and confer such powers \r\nupon, and assign such duties to them as it may deem necessary for the purposes of \r\nthis Act. \r\n21. Power to make rules .– A Commission may make rules for carrying out the \r\npurposes of this Act, including rules on matters relating to or connected with the \r\npresentation, hearing and determination of appeals from, and applications fo r \r\nrevision and review of, orders made under this Act: \r\n Provided that the rules made under this section, in case of Federal Land \r\nCommission shall be subject to approval of the Federal Government, and in case of \r\na Provincial Land Commission, to the approval of the Provincial Government \r\nconcerned. \r\n22. Delegation of powers .– (1) The Federal Government may, at any time, \r\ndelegate any of its powers or functions under this Act to such body or person as it \r\nmay deem necessary for the purposes of this Act. \r\n \r\n27\r\n[(2) A Commission may, at any time by notification in the official Gazette, \r\ndelegate any of its powers to any of its members or officers or authorities subject to \r\nsuch conditions, if any, as may be specified in the notification, and may also specify \r\nin the notification the circumstances in which, and the authority to which, an appeal, \r\nor application for review or revision, if any, shall lie from an order of such member, \r\nofficer or authority.] \r\n23. Reconstitution of a Commission .– The Federal Government may, at any \r\ntime, by notification in the official Gazette, reconstitute a Commission to comprise \r\n \r\n27Substituted by the Land Reforms (Amendment) Order, 1979 (President‟s Order No. 16 of 1979). \r\nsuch persons as it deems fit, and the Commission so reconstituted shall be deemed \r\nto be a Commission under paragraph 4 or 4A, as the case may be, of the Land \r\nReforms Regulation, 1972. \r\n24. Power to review .– A Commission shall review a case or a class of cases \r\ndecided by it before or after the commencement of this Act, if so directed by the \r\nFederal Government. \r\n25. Abatement of pending proceedings .– All proceedings pending befor e the \r\nFederal Land Commission shall, on commencement of this Act, stand abated unless \r\nthe Federal Government directs otherwise in a case or class of cases. \r\n26. Removal of doubt.– If any dispute or doubt arises as to the extent or scope \r\nof any power or the manner in which it shall be exercisable by a Commission, the \r\nmatter shall be referred to the Federal Government whose decision thereon shall be \r\nfinal. \r\n27. Powers of the Federal Government.– The Federal Government may, at any \r\ntime, of its own motion or oth erwise, take cognizance of a case not taken up by a \r\nCommission or withdraw a case pending before a Commission or call for a case \r\ndecided by a Commission or any authority empowered by a Commission in this \r\nbehalf, and pass such order as it may deem necessary and the order so passed \r\nshall be final: \r\n Provided that no order, under this section, shall be passed, adversely \r\naffecting the rights of any person, unless such person has been given an opportunity \r\nof being heard. \r\nCHAPTER VII \r\nBAR OF JURISDICTION AND INDEMNITY \r\n28. Bar of jurisdiction.– (1) No court shall call in question or permit to be called \r\nin question any provision of this Act or of any rule or order made or anything done or \r\nany action taken thereunder. \r\n (2) No court shall grant any injunction or make an y order, or entertain any \r\nproceedings, in relation to anything done or intended to be done under this Act. \r\n29. Indemnity.– No suit, prosecution or other legal proceeding shall lie against \r\nthe Federal Government, or a Provincial Government, or a Commission or any other \r\nperson for anything in good faith done under this Act or any rule or order made \r\nthereunder. \r\nCHAPTER VIII \r\nMISCELLANEOUS \r\n30. Act to override other laws, etc .– The provisions of this Act, and any rule or \r\norder made thereunder, shall have effect n otwithstanding anything to the contrary \r\ncontained in any law for the time being in force, or in any order or decree of a court \r\nor tribunal or other authority or in any rule of custom or usage or in any contract, \r\ninstrument, deed or other document. \r\n28\r\n[31. Power to exempt.– (1) The Government, if it is satisfied that it is in the public \r\ninterest so to do, may by an order notified in the official Gazette and subject to such \r\nterms and conditions as may be specified in the order, exempt from the operation of \r\nthis Act any educational institution or a cooperative farming society registered under \r\nthe Co -operative Farming Act, 1976 (LII of 1976), or a person who has been \r\npermitted by Government to establish a livestock farm; provided that an exemption \r\ngranted shall not apply– \r\n(i) in the case of a society, to the land owned or possessed by a member \r\nof such society; and \r\n(ii) in respect of a person who has been permitted to establish a livestock \r\nfarm– \r\n(a) to the land owned or possessed by such person or to a partner \r\nin a firm or shareholder in a joint stock company which does not \r\nform, or has not been recognised at the time of sanction as, an \r\nintegral part of the livestock farm; and \r\n(b) to land not used for the purposes of the livestock farm. \r\n (2) When the Government or a person authorised by it in that behalf is of \r\nthe opinion that an institution or a society or person exempted under sub -section (1) \r\nhas committed a breach of any of the conditions subject to which the exemption was \r\ngranted, the Government or the authorised person may, after giving such institution \r\nor society or person an opportunity to show cause against the action proposed to be \r\ntaken, rescind the order of exemption.] \r\n32. Removal of difficulties .– If any difficulty arises in giving effect to any \r\nprovision of this Act, the Federal Government may make such order, not inconsistent \r\nwith the provisions of this Act, as may appear to it to be necessary for the purposes \r\nof removing the difficulty. \r\nCHAPTER IX \r\nPUNISHMENT AND PROCEDURE \r\n33. Offences and penalties.– (1) Whoever– \r\n (a) fails to surrender land as required under this Act, or \r\n(b) fails to make any declaration or furnishes incomplete or false \r\ninformation or fails to furnish any information as required under this \r\nAct, or \r\n(c) tampers with any record relevant for the purposes of this Act, or \r\n(d) obstructs any person in the discharge of his duties and functions under \r\nthis Act, or \r\n(e) commits or attempts to commit an act or omission to defeat any of the \r\npurposes of this Act, or \r\n(f) contravenes or fails to comply with any other provisions of this Act, \r\n \r\n28Substituted by the Land Reforms (Amendment) Ordinance, 1981 (XLVII of 1981). \r\nshall be punishable with rigorous imprisonment for a term which may extend to \r\nseven years or with forfeiture of his immovable property or with both. \r\n (2) A person convicted of any offence under sub -section (1) shall be \r\ndisqualified from being a member of Parliament or a Provincial Assembly or any local \r\nelective body and from being elected and chosen as such a member for a period of \r\nfive years from the date of such conviction. \r\n (3) any person convicted of any offence unde r sub -section (1) shall be \r\ndisqualified from being a public servant or from being appointed as such or from \r\nholding any other office for which a person guilty of any offence involving moral \r\nturpitude is disqualified. \r\n34. Cognizance of offence .– No court or tribunal shall take cognizance of an \r\noffence under this Act except on a report in writing of the facts constituting such \r\noffence, made by a public servant under order or authority of the Federal \r\nGovernment or a Provincial Government. \r\n29\r\n[35. 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