Bhutto's 1972 Land Reforms in Pakistan placed ceilings on land ownership of 150 acres of irrigated land and 300 acres of non-irrigated land, resuming land in excess of those amounts from landowners without compensation. The reforms resumed 0.6 million acres, about 0.001% of Pakistan's farmland, with 42% in Punjab and 59% in Sindh. However, the reforms ultimately failed to impact many large landowners and redistribute much of the resumed land to tenants, with over a third of the land not redistributed even 22 years later.

1. Bhutto’s 1972 Land
Reforms

2. The Reforms
• Land ceiling reduced to 150 acres irrigated and 300 acres non-irrigated (12,000-
14,000 PIU’s)
• No compensation to landowners
• No charge from tenants upon redistribution
• Costs handled by landowners: land revenue, seeds, & water
• Costs handled equally: fertilizers & pesticides
• Tenant eviction to be decided by revenue court

3. Progress of
Implementation
• 42% land was resumed in
Punjab
• 59% land was resumed in Sindh
• In total 0.6 million acres of
land was resumed (0.001% of
the country’s farm land)

4. Failure of the 72 Land Reforms
• The 1972 land reforms resumed less land compared to the 1959 reforms.
• Because ceilings were also listed according to PIUs, landowners were able to retains
larger areas of land.
• Despite ceilings many still owned up to 400-900 acres of land in Punjab and 500-
1000 acres of land in Sindh.
• The government failed to redistribute 38% of the resumed land 22 years later.
• Only 71000 tenants benefitted from these reforms.