قومی ریئل اسٹیٹ خبریں

Islamabad | ReNews Pakistan
A court has ruled that a revenue mutation, by itself, cannot establish ownership or prove the transfer of title to immovable property, rejecting a challenge based on claims that 346 kanals of land in Sargodha had been gifted decades earlier and therefore did not form part of a deceased landowner’s estate.
The dispute centred on land measuring 346 kanals situated in Chak No. 29/N.B., Sargodha, which the defendants maintained had been gifted by Dost Muhammad to Ali Akbar during his lifetime.
According to the defendants, the gift was reflected in Mutation No. 204 dated February 6, 1962. On this basis, they argued that the property had already passed to Ali Akbar and was no longer owned by Dost Muhammad at the time of his death. Consequently, they contended, the land could not be treated as part of the deceased’s estate for the purpose of inheritance.
The defendants also disputed the inheritance claim of Sahib Khatoon, maintaining that she had been divorced by Dost Muhammad in 1921. They argued that, as a result of the alleged divorce, she was not legally entitled to inherit from him after his death.
The controversy eventually reached the court after the defendants challenged findings recorded by the lower courts concerning the ownership and inheritance of the disputed property.
Rejecting the challenge to the lower courts’ findings, Justice Hassan Nawaz Makhdoom held that the mere existence of a mutation entry in the revenue record was insufficient to establish that a valid gift of the property had taken place.
The court observed that a mutation was essentially a fiscal entry maintained by revenue authorities primarily for revenue administration and collection purposes. Such an entry, the court said, did not by itself create, confer or extinguish title to immovable property.
The judgment emphasised that where ownership was claimed on the basis of a gift, the party relying on that transaction was required to establish the underlying gift through legally admissible and credible evidence rather than relying solely on its entry in the revenue record.
In the present case, the court noted that the defendants had failed to produce any witness connected with the original gift transaction. Nor had they presented independent evidence capable of establishing that Dost Muhammad had actually made the alleged gift in favour of Ali Akbar.
The absence of evidence supporting the underlying transaction weakened the defendants’ reliance on Mutation No. 204, as the mutation itself could not substitute for proof of the transaction through which ownership was claimed to have been transferred.
The ruling therefore upheld the principle that entries in revenue records are not, standing alone, conclusive proof of ownership and that a party asserting title on the basis of an alleged gift must independently prove the transaction on which that claim rests.
The case also involved the defendants’ contention regarding Sahib Khatoon’s alleged divorce and her consequent entitlement to inheritance, making the dispute significant not only in relation to the evidentiary value of revenue records but also to the determination of succession rights in the deceased’s estate.

Two major Pakistani companies, National Resources Limited (NRL) and Mari Energies Limited, have announced encouraging copper and gold discoveries in Balochistan’s mineral-rich Chagai district, highlighting the region’s potential for future mining investment and industrial development.

Addressing the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2026, NRL Chairman Muhammad Ali Tabba revealed that the company had identified copper-gold mineralisation at eight locations in the Darigwan area following approximately 25,000 metres of exploratory drilling. The discoveries extend across an area of about 5.6 square kilometres, adjoining NRL’s previously identified Tang Kaur copper-gold prospect. According to the company, one drill hole intersected a 295-metre mineralised section containing 0.43% copper and a reported gold grade of 0.13 grammes per tonne, while a 132-metre interval within the same section recorded a higher copper concentration of 0.83%. The findings indicate promising mineralisation, although further exploration and formal resource assessments are required to determine the size, economic viability and commercial development potential of the deposits.

NRL, a joint venture involving Fatima Fertilisers, Liberty Mills and Lucky Cement Limited, currently holds five mineral exploration licences in Balochistan, covering two copper-gold projects, one lead-zinc project and two antimony projects. Muhammad Ali Tabba said additional drilling and exploration under licence EL214 would help establish the extent of the newly identified mineral deposits. The company is working towards its first internationally compliant mineral resource estimate, while preliminary assessments prepared by an independent consultant have not yet been publicly released pending completion of the required reporting procedures. NRL plans to begin environmental, hydrogeological, metallurgical and geotechnical studies in 2027, with the objective of completing a bankable feasibility study by the end of the decade.

The chairman also reaffirmed the company’s previously announced $100 million commitment to mineral exploration in Pakistan and invited domestic and international investors, contractors and technical service providers to participate in emerging opportunities. To improve exploration efficiency, NRL has partnered with Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) to develop an artificial intelligence-based predictive model using geological information and drilling data. The company aims to establish an integrated mineral development platform encompassing exploration, extraction, processing and value-added industrial activities.

Meanwhile, Mari Energies Limited announced a separate copper-gold discovery at the East Siah Diq (ESD-1) exploration target in Chagai district through its wholly owned subsidiary, Mari Minerals (Private) Limited. The discovery is situated approximately 50 kilometres east of the Reko Diq copper-gold project and 25 kilometres northwest of Nokkundi, in the Koh-i-Sultan area. Speaking at the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2026, Mari Energies Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Faheem Haider disclosed that the company had completed approximately 25,000 metres of exploratory drilling in two phases, with individual drill holes extending to depths of up to 500 metres. The drilling programme identified porphyry-style copper mineralisation beneath approximately 100 metres of overlying material, covering an estimated area of 1.4 square kilometres. Haider described the findings as an important milestone in the company’s minerals exploration programme and said further geological assessments and technical studies would be undertaken to establish the scale and potential commercial viability of the discovery. He reaffirmed the company’s commitment to responsible mineral exploration and long-term value creation for Pakistan and its stakeholders.

The latest exploration results reinforce Chagai district’s growing importance as a centre of copper and gold exploration, alongside the internationally significant Reko Diq mining development. The discoveries could eventually create opportunities for mining infrastructure, mineral-processing facilities, transport networks, power supply systems and associated industrial investment in Balochistan. Development of commercially viable mineral projects may also support employment, regional economic activity and future mineral exports. However, both discoveries remain at the exploration and technical assessment stages, and neither company has announced confirmed commercial production volumes or construction schedules for mining operations at the newly identified sites. Their eventual development will depend on verified mineral resource estimates, detailed feasibility studies, financing arrangements, environmental and regulatory approvals, and the availability of supporting infrastructure. The announcements nevertheless represent further progress in Pakistan’s efforts to attract investment into its mineral resources and develop a stronger domestic mining and minerals-processing industry.