Inheritance row settled after 17 years

The Federal Ombudsperson Secretariat for Protection Against Harassment (FOSPAH) has successfully resolved a long-running family dispute over a valuable residential property, reaffirming women's constitutional and legal right to inheritance.

The case concerned a house located on Main Double Road (Rothas Road) in G-9/1, Islamabad, originally owned by the late Safia Khanum, who died in 2008. The inheritance dispute remained unsettled for more than seventeen years, involving several generations of heirs and causing prolonged stress, financial strain and familial discord - with women heirs particularly affected.

Following Khanum's death, the property remained under informal possession and was never formally partitioned among the legal heirs. After the death of her son Javed Khan in 2020, possession passed to his son, prompting serious disagreements among family members over occupancy, rental income, taxes, maintenance costs and the eventual disposal of the property.

The complainants alleged they had been denied their lawful inheritance and that financial benefits were being withheld, while the respondent claimed financial incapacity, substantial expenditure on repairs and a longstanding preference for selling the property to settle the matter.

Once the complaint was filed, FOSPAH adopted a conciliatory and settlement-focused approach, hearing all parties and facilitating dialogue with the aim of avoiding protracted litigation. Following sustained mediation efforts, the parties agreed to sell the property on the open market, effectively bringing to an end a dispute that had lingered since 2008.

The house was sold for approximately Rs100 million, and the female complainants received their lawful inheritance shares in accordance with succession documents and prevailing legal provisions. The settlement restored legal entitlement, financial security and dignity for the women heirs.

Commenting on the outcome, the Federal Ombudsperson observed: "Denial of inheritance to women is not merely a family dispute; it is a violation of fundamental rights. FOSPAH remains committed to ensuring women are not deprived of their lawful property through delay, coercion or informal control. This case demonstrates that timely institutional intervention can restore justice, dignity and social harmony."