An Inquiry into Genesis and Socio-Economic Impact of Land Reforms in Pakistan with Particular Reference to NWFP
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Date
1998
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Department of Economics, University of Peshawar. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
Abstract
This study traces the genesis of land reforms in Pakistan with particular reference to the North West Frontier Province (NWFP), appraises their socio-economic impact, and examines the case for further reforms. It embraces the tenancy, quasi-distributive, anddistributive reforms introducedin post-1947 period in Pakistan, but the main focus is on the distributive land reforms (DLRs) of 1959, 1972, and 1977.
The genesis of land reforms, designed to reduce concentration of land ownership, is traceable to the legislations introduced in early fifties to improve tenanc ysituation, confer ownership rights on occupancy tenants, and abolish the
Jagirs. These reforms proved as precursors to the DLRs the first of which was introducedin 1959.
The chronology and contents of land reforms-in the widersense, clearly show that the ruling political parties adhered to the policy of gradualism, rather than radicalism, on the land reform front. In the first phase, lasting over a decade, the
reforms aimed at only minimizing the adverse impacts of mal-distribution of land through tenancy and quasi distributive reforms, but avoided correcting the land distribution pattern. Mounting pressure for imposing a land ownership ceiling led the government to introduce the required legislation, but only as late as 1959.
The 1959-Land Reform was by all standards a very lenient reformas clearly indicated by the high land ceilings, liberal concessions, and several exemptions providedby it. Even where no exemptions/concessions were available, a person could retain as many as 36,000 PIU worth of land or 500 acres/irrigated or 1000 acres/unirrigated land, whichever be more, which was considered to be too high a ceiling. The 1972-land reform loweredthe ceiling to 12,000 PIUs, again rather too high as indicated the fact that the average farm size then obtaining in the country was a mere half of the subsistence holding (12.5 acres). This realization led to a further lowering of land ceilings to 8,000 PIUs in 1977.
All the three DLRs were launched with great expectations with respect to their positive socio-economic impacts. This study finds that on the whole the impacts have been of a positive nature, but their quantum has been too small to be called significant. A definite limit to land ownership has been imposed, and the old craze land accumulation seems to have subsided.
But very little of the privately owned land has changed hands. a very small percentage of big land owners has been affected, and similariy a very small percentage of small farmers/tenants has been benefitted as will be borne out by the
following statistics.
Sr.No. Particulars Units Land Reforms of 1959, 1972 &1977
NWFP Pakistan
1. Affected Landlords Number 502
2. Total area resumed Acres 407,381 4,055,363
3. Area given to tenants/small farmers Acres 161,578 1,777,711
4. Number of beneficiaries Number 37,549 262,700
5. Average area recieved per beneficiary Acre 6.78 4.3
6. Total resumed area as %age of total 6.94 4.5
privately owned land in NWFP
Thus, only 6.94% of the privately owned land was resumed in NWFP. This is too small anarea to affect the land ownership pattern even mildly.
Similarly, only 37,549 persons were given land. They constituted approximately two percent of small land owners/tenants who were land aspirants. The smallness of the number of beneficiaries, and also thefact that on average they
got 6-94 acres each, is clearly indicative of the smallness of land reform achievements and impacts. Distribution of land on such a small scale should be expected to producenovisible or lasting changeat macro level and thatis confirmed
by relevant data. At micro-level i.e; beneficiaries household level, visibility of positive impacts of land reformsis, however, much better. All land recipients have experienced some socio-economic improvements-which most of them attribute to a large extent, to land reforms. The improvements are indicated by increase in the area owned by beneficiaries, rise in agri productivity/employment level/income, better access to educational and medicalfacilities, and beneficiaries expression of a sense of improvementin their socio-economic lot.
Although the past reforms havenot madea visible and lasting impact on land ownership pattern andassociated aspects of agri and rural sector, their achievements are on the whole of a positive nature. Thenotedpositive impacts al macro and micro levels under score, if anything, only the need of further reforms of more radical nature and a wider scope. The land ceilings need be lowered and they should be placed on family holdings. Thereis simultaneously a need also to check proliferation of farms i.e; the trend towards decline infe rm size need be checked. The reform package should be such that it provides for equitable distribution of land, paves way for scientific agriculture, provides for more employment, and in the ultimate analysis turns agriculture into a dynamic sector.
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Citation
KHAN, S. (1998). AN INQUIRY INTO GENESIS AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACT OF LAND REFORMS IN PAKISTAN WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO NWFP (Doctoral dissertation, UNIVERSITY OF PESHAWAR).