The Supreme Court has ordered the immediate transfer of inherited property to widow Shamim Akhtar, while imposing a fine of Rs500,000 on those involved in false testimony and misleading litigation.
The court set a three-month deadline for the payment of the fine, warning that failure to comply would result in the revenue department seizing the property.
Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa, who led the bench, expressed frustration over how a simple inheritance case had been unnecessarily prolonged for 26 years. "The culture of disinheriting women must end," the chief justice remarked, adding that action should be taken against the parties issuing false testimonies.
"Enough is enough. The litigation has been going on for 26 years. We want the parties not to commit any more sin by curtailing the right of the widow."
Shamim Akhtar’s husband, Mehrban, passed away in 1998. However, litigation dragged on as her husband’s second wife's nephews falsely claimed that Mehrban had gifted the property to them. The court noted that false testimony and unjustified claims had complicated what should have been a straightforward matter of inheritance.
During the hearing, CJP Isa warned against taking advantage of vulnerable women in inheritance disputes and emphasized that legal professionals should avoid handling such misleading cases. "Whoever wants, suppresses property any time they want. Lawyers should not take on false cases," he stated, adding that If they complained to the bar against lawyers, their seniors appear before the court.
The Chief Justice urged the parties involved to admit their wrongdoings, saying, "If you confess your sins today, you will be spared from punishment in the hereafter." He reiterated that attempts to suppress a widow’s rightful claim to property were intolerable under the law.
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