Introduction: An Example for Systemic Land Reform

As the fifth most-populated country globally and a nuclear power intersecting South and Central Asia, Pakistan will play an enormous role in the future development and stability of the greater region.¹ Islamabad’s involvement in Afghanistan, its continuous tensions with India, and engagement with China are all potential flashpoints with worldwide repercussions.²

Yet domestically, Pakistan is subject to many issues. The country suffers from recurrent natural disasters, including droughts, floods, and earthquakes. These challenges, combined with economic instability, exacerbate food insecurity and livelihood opportunities—especially in rural areas. Open-ended conflict between the government and various militant groups further contributes to lingering underdevelopment.³

Centrally located Punjab Province has long been an operational base for jihadist groups.⁴ Known as the “Land of Five Rivers,” the province is the agricultural core of Pakistan and is home to 110 million people—54 percent of Pakistan’s total population.⁵ In southern Punjab, the poorest section of this rich province, terrorists often exploit poverty, inequality, corruption, and political alienation to win local hearts and minds.⁶

Although there is no direct correlation between political and economic grievances and extremism, these afflictions are often employed as terrorist recruitment tools and reduce the opportunity costs associated with joining a militant group. A holistic and sustainable approach is necessary to counter violent Islamist organizations in Punjab.

There is no direct correlation between political and economic grievances and extremism, but these afflictions are often employed as terrorist recruitment tools and reduce the opportunity costs associated with joining a militant group.

Appropriate reform fosters economic development and improves government capacity to craft better policies and provide adequate services. Successful implementation of large-scale development projects can therefore help to disincentivize membership in terrorist organizations through improvement of livelihoods.⁷ Notably, recent land administration reform in rural Punjab potentially addresses various socioeconomic, political, and security challenges.

Punjab, along with all of South Asia, was under British colonial rule from the mid-19th century until partition and independence in 1947.⁸ Following British withdrawal, Punjabi rural land management retained a modified form of the colonial system.⁹ Inaccessible, corrupt, and frustratingly bureaucratic, this legacy system existed for well over a century. Finally, in 2007, the Government of Punjab (GoPunjab) partnered with the World Bank to reform land administration throughout the provincial countryside.¹⁰

The effort demonstrates that utilization of appropriate technology during reform can be a powerful tool for systemic change. Through adaptable implementation of the Land Records Management and Information Systems (LRMIS) project, the partners successfully digitized rural land registries in all 36 provincial districts.¹¹ This accomplishment is notable given that over three-fifths of the Punjabi population lives in the countryside.¹² Forty-three percent of the provincial workforce is associated with farming, and agriculture constitutes 19 percent of Punjab’s GDP.¹³

Inaccessible, corrupt, and frustratingly bureaucratic, this legacy system existed for well over a century. Finally, in 2007, the Government of Punjab partnered with the World Bank to reform land administration throughout the provincial countryside.

The broader transition from a disjointed and localized manual system to a transparent and computerized one was made possible by major political and public support.¹⁴ Today, exploitative local bureaucrats—known as Patwaris—are removed from the administrative process. The new system serves over 20 million rural landowners, offering a customer-based service with reduced transaction times and costs.¹⁵

Less susceptible to fraud and corruption, the accessible new system helps to improve tenure security. In turn, land value indirectly increases due to easier loan procurement and investment. Women can reliably assert their rights to land inheritance for the first time through gender-specific services.¹⁶ Greater access to capital, services, and the formal economy for previously marginalized groups promotes balanced development and encourages political engagement. Such improvements can help to diminish the volatile factors contributing to Punjabi extremism: poverty, inequality, corruption, and alienation.¹⁷

The collection of accurate land records can contribute to more efficient and data-based government planning as well. Accumulated data can be used for tax collection, resource allocation, and disaster management. In the future, the new system can be leveraged for other development initiatives—such as GIS mapping. More responsive governance can confront local alienation in Southern Punjab and may allow for greater civic participation.¹⁸ Political grievances indirectly contributing to extremism may subside as a result.

The project exemplifies the diverse processes crucial for systemic overhaul of a major land registry within a broader development context. Aside from adopting appropriate technology within a flexible and scalable design, project leadership engaged with numerous stakeholders, ensured widespread public outreach, and created a sustainable governance structure. The strategy employed in Punjab is valuable and worth emulating.¹⁹

Greater access to capital, services, and the formal economy for previously marginalized groups promotes balanced development and encourages political engagement, helping to diminish the volatile factors contributing to Punjabi extremism: poverty, inequality, corruption, and alienation.

During June 2017, an international community of development experts and government officials gathered to learn about the LRMIS project and to contemplate its strategy as a potential roadmap for other projects.²⁰ The purpose of this paper is to similarly present the implementation and results of the LRMIS project as a case study. Project success in Punjab can provide an additional impetus for executives, policymakers, and other stakeholders in the property rights space to consider a similar plan of action within their own jurisdictions.

The project is examined below in a loose chronological structure.²¹ Various critical issues are emphasized within each section. The analysis concludes by discussing future prospects for the project.