SC grants niece inheritance right from uncle’s property after 34 years

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday disposed of a case between ex-chairman District Council, DG Khan, Sardar Mansoor Ahmed Khan Leghari, and his niece Sara Akhtar after 34 years. The apex court granted Sara Akhtar inheritance right from her maternal uncle’s property.

The Supreme Court ordered the Revenue Department of Dera Ghazi Khan to provide immediate possession of 125 acres of land to Sara Akhtar. The court ordered uncle Sardar Mansoor to pay all legal costs to his niece. “Women’s rights are being crucified in an unconstitutional, non-Shariah manner,” Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa said.

Sara Akhtar’s lawyer Yasin Bhatti said his client was a minor at the time of the alleged sale of the land. Sara’s maternal uncle, Sardar Mansoor, was the former chairman of the district council.

“Sardar Mansoor transferred the land to his young children, wife, mother-in-law and brother-in-law,” he said.

A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Faez Isa conducted the hearing.

During the arguments, the lawyer asked the court if it believed in everything said by the complainant. The chief justice replied that the court was not giving any special facility to the woman.

“I have given an observation about the unfortunate social practices,” he said. The lawyer said it was not necessary that every time a man would snatch the rights of a woman. The chief justice responded that he had not yet faced a case in which a woman confiscated someone’s possession. SC Justice Aminuddin said the responsibility of proving the land purchase lay on the buyer’s shoulder. “Three courts ruled against the petitioner,” said Justice Athar Minallah.