THE PUNJAB MINOR MINERAL (CANCELLATION OF 
LEASES) ACT, 1977 
(VII of 1977) 
CONTENTS 
1. Short title, extent and commencement 
2. Definitions 
3. Cancellation of Lease 
4. Payment of Compensation 
5. Repeal of Punjab Ordinance No. V of 1977 
 
TEXT 
1
THE PUNJAB MINOR MINERAL (CANCELLATION OF LEASES) ACT, 
1977 
(VII of 1977) 
[14th June, 1977] 
An 
Act 
to provide for the cancellation of certain mining leases of Minor Minerals. 
Preamble.– WHEREAS it is in the public interest to make provision for the 
cancellation of certain leases of minor minerals; 
It is hereby enacted as follows:– 
1. Short title , extent and commencement .– (1) This Act may be called the 
Punjab Minor Mineral (Cancellation of Leases) Act,1977. 
(2) It shall extend to the Province of the Punjab. 
(3) It shall come into force at once. 
2. Definitions.– In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires:– 
(a) “Director” means Dire ctor of Industries and Mineral Development, 
Punjab; 
(b) “Government” means the Government of the Punjab; 
(c) “Minor Minerals” mean s ordinary sand, ordinary stone and gravel and 
shall include the limestone aggregate; and 
(d) “Lease” means lease of a minor m ineral subsisting immediately before 
the commencement of this Act. 
3. Cancellation of Lease .– (1) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary 
contained in any la w for the time being in force, the Pakistan Mining Concession 
Rules,1960, as applicable to the Province of the Punjab, custom, usage, order of any 
court, lease deed or agreement, but subject to the provisions of sub -section (2) all 
leases of minor minerals granted by any officer or authority, other than the Deputy 
Commissioner through open auction in p ursuance of the provisions of the 
Government of the Punjab, Industries and Mineral Development Department 
Notification No. V -1-32/72, dated 26.6.1973, shall stand terminated with immediate 
effect. 
 (2) Nothing contained in sub-section (1), shall apply to the lease granted to 
a Federal or Provincial Government Department or a body established by or under a 
Provincial or Federal Law: 
 Provided that where such a Department or a body has sublet the lease, it 
shall also stand terminated. 
                                                 
1This Act was passed by the Punjab Assembly on 10th June,  1977; assented to by the Governor of the Punjab on 14th June, 
1977; and, published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated 14th June, 1977, pages 821-823. 
4. Payment of Compensati on.– (1) A Lessee whose lease is cancelled under 
section 3 of this  Act, shall be paid by Government such compensation in respect of 
such roads and buildings, if any, constructed by him, as in the opinion of the Director 
were necessary for carrying out the mining operations, as the Director may 
determine. 
 (2) The Government may, on its own motion or on the application of a 
lessee made within a period of one month from the receipt of intimation of 
determination of compensation by the Director, call for and examine the record of the 
proceedings regarding determination of compensation for the purposes of satisfying 
it as to the  correctness, legality or proprie ty of any  finding or order recorded or 
passed and after hearing the lessee pass such order as it may deem just and fit. 
(3) Subject to the order of the Government, the decision of the Director 
under sub-section (1), and the order of the Government made under sub -section (2), 
shall be final an d conclusive and shall not be called in question in any court, or 
before any officer or authority. 
5. Repeal of Punjab Ordinance No.  V of 1977 .– The Punjab Minor Mineral 
(Cancellation of Leases) Ordinance, 1977 ( Punjab Ordinance No.  V of 1977), is 
hereby repealed.