On Thursday, Pakistan’s Federal Constitutional Court delivered a significant ruling in a longstanding inheritance dispute related to land in Punjab’s Wazirabad. The case, registered as CPLA No. 3378 of 2022, involved contested inheritance rights in Mouza Dhanunkal, Tehsil Wazirabad.
The bench, led by Chief Justice Aminuddin Khan and Justice Ali Baqar Najafi, addressed irregularities in the revenue records where the pre-deceased daughter, Sardar Begum, had been omitted from official inheritance documents. This exclusion deprived her and her heirs of their lawful shares for several decades.
During the hearings, other legal heirs confirmed Sardar Begum’s status as the deceased’s daughter, reinforcing the legitimacy of her heirs’ claims. In a landmark decision, the court ruled that the heirs of the pre-deceased daughter are entitled to the inheritance share that would have belonged to her under the law.
The court further ordered that Sardar Begum’s heirs be formally recognized as parties in the ongoing case. It also mandated a fresh review of the previously finalized land distribution under consolidation schemes to ensure the rightful inclusion of the excluded heirs’ shares.
To guarantee the enforcement of its directives, the court summoned the consolidation officer, patwari, and tehsildar to appear at the next hearing. Their presence is required to assist the court and verify compliance with the orders issued.
