SC orders property share for sisters after 42-year wait

In a long-delayed property dispute, the Supreme Court has finally ordered for two sisters to be given their rightful share in the family property after a wait of 42 years.

The court imposed a hefty fine of Rs 1,000,000 for not handing over the property on time. In case of non-payment, a property of equivalent value will be granted as compensation.

The SC, while hearing the petition about property share, noted that the matter at hand was a “classic case” of disputes lingering in courts due to inefficient handling by revenue officers.

It bemoaned that such inordinate delays enabled the property extortionists to squeeze benefits from years-long court proceedings.In a charged exchange with the petitioner's son during the hearing, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa grilled the petitioner for having usurped the property shares of the two sisters for over four decades.

He remarked that all norms of law, religion, society and morality were violated in this instance. "The law, religion, morality, and society are all against you in this case."

"If the subordinate court did not acknowledge the sister's share, then this court will,” he asserted.

He chastised the defendants, saying "Your disregard for the legal system and courts led to the death of your aunts without their rightful share in their father's property.

”When the petitioner's legal counsel pleaded for reconsideration, the CJP retorted, “Absolutely not.”  He vowed to set a precedent with the ruling to prevent the recurrence of similar cases in the future.

Justice Athar Minallah, echoing CJP, remarked that an exemplary fine should be imposed.