Pakistan, July 3 -- The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday declared the administrative ban on the sale, purchase and transfer of land in Shah Allah Ditta, Sarai Kharbuza and Sangjani illegal, ruling that citizens' property rights could not be curtailed through executive orders issued without legal authority.

Justice Muhammad Asif issued the detailed judgment in a petition filed by Fazal Abbas, who was represented by advocate Kashif Ali Malik.

The court directed the authorities to process property registration and transfer matters strictly in accordance with the law and prescribed procedures. It observed that the government's efforts to curb illegal housing schemes could not be used as a pretext to deprive law-abiding citizens of the...