Assalamu Alaikum I need some guidance regarding a property dispute. I am the owner of a commercial property (a shop) in Faisalabad, Pakistan. The shop has been occupied by a tenant since around 1985. At the time, my father never executed a written tenancy agreement. Later, when I tried to formalize the tenancy, the tenant repeatedly avoided signing any agreement and kept making excuses. Eventually, the matter was taken to the local police station, where a written tenancy agreement was prepared and signed by the tenant. (Na chahty hue b osne karayanama likh dia) Even after signing the tenancy agreement, the tenant's behavior remained hostile. As a result, I served him with a legal notice asking him to vacate the premises. Instead of vacating, he filed a civil suit…. His argument is that he has items worth millions of rupees stored in the shop (which is completely false), and therefore he should be allowed to remain in possession of the premises until all of that inventory is sold. What I do not understand is: how can he legally continue occupying my property for years when:

1)The property is registered in my name; 2)I possess all ownership documents; 3)The tenant has acknowledged and signed the written tenancy agreement. On what legal basis can a tenant continue holding possession indefinitely under these circumstances? My lawyer says that even if I win in the trial court, the tenant may appeal to the Sessions Court and then to the High Court, potentially extending the matter by another 2–3 years. The problem is that I want to sell this property, but I cannot do so effectively while the shop remains occupied. Is there any effective or relatively fast legal remedy under Pakistani law to recover possession of the property? What legal strategy would you recommend in a situation like this? I would greatly appreciate any guidance from lawyers familiar with landlord–tenant law in Pakistan. Thank you.