SC gives verdict in 100-year-old property case

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday announced a verdict in a 100-year-old property inheritance case that started in the court of Rajasthan, India, in 1918.

The case revolves around a dispute over the inheritance of 5,600 kanals of land in Khairpur Tamiwali tehsil in Bahawalpur, a region that was regarded as part of the Rajputana States before the partition. Following the partition, the case was transferred to a trial court in Bahawalpur.

In 2005, the case was transferred to the apex court. During the hearing, Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Saqib Nisar said that the property should be distributed among the heirs under the Islamic law. He said that the court would not deprive anyone of their legal share.

The complainants, who travelled from Bahawalpur to Islamabad for the hearing, claimed that Shahabuddin, the elder son of Sher Khan, was the owner of the land. He had died in 1918, and the dispute had been going on since then.

As per complainants, the property belonged to their elder who died in 1918 after which the case was taken to the courts and has been going on since then. There are thousands of cases, including those pertaining to the land disputes, pending in courts for decades.

According to experts, the number of such cases cannot be brought down until amendments are introduced in the Pakistan Penal Code, Criminal Procedure Code and the evidence act.