SHC’s division bench, comprising Justices Sarmad Jalal Usmani and Tufail Ebrahim, issued these orders on the petition filed by the widow, Haleema. Haleema married Abdul Ahad, a volunteer of Edhi Welfare Centre, in March 2008. Her husband died on December 28, 2009, and the home department announced Rs500,000 as compensation.
The case was referred by the Edhi Welfare Centre to the Lawyers for Human Rights and Legal Aid (LHRLA), who provided free legal services.
Haleema agreed to share half of the compensation with her father-in-law. But when she visited the office of the home secretary to collect the compensation cheque, officials refused to deliver her cheque for one reason or another.
Officials told her to produce a succession certificate but avoided giving her such directions in writing. Haleema prayed to the court to declare her entitled for the compensation as she was Ahad’s wife.
Haleema narrated that she married Ahad out of her own will so she was disliked by her in-laws. They threatened her even after she agreed to share half of the compensation amount.
Her counsel, Zia Ahmed Awan, said that the compensation amount declared by the government for the benefit of the dependents of the bomb blast victims is not the legacy of the deceased. The demands of production of a succession certificate are illegal, he added.
The court strictly warned Haleema’s in-laws not to harass her. It disposed of the case on the condition that compensation cheques are handed over to Haleema and her father-in-law.
Special home secretary Kamran Dost appeared before the court along with two compensation cheques of Rs25,000 each, which were handed over to Haleema and her father-in-law.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 23rd, 2010.
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