The Supreme Court has issued a strong and precedent-setting verdict in a women’s inheritance case, upholding a Sindh High Court ruling and imposing a Rs500,000 fine on the petitioner for delaying rightful inheritance to female heirs.

The seven-page written verdict was released by a bench comprising Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Irfan Saadat. Notably, the judgement was authored by Justice Athar Minallah before he tendered his resignation.

The court dismissed petitioner Abid Hussain’s appeal and affirmed that the Sindh High Court had rightly rejected his claims regarding ownership of the disputed property.

Petitioner fined for delaying heirs’ lawful inheritance

In its ruling, the Supreme Court ordered Abid Hussain to pay Rs500,000 for obstructing and delaying the inheritance rights of the lawful heirs. The fine must be deposited with the registrar of the Supreme Court within seven days, the verdict states.

The court directed that the fine amount be divided among the heirs who were deprived of their rightful share.

The verdict further notes that Abid Hussain’s claim — that the property had been gifted to him — could not be proven.

Court: ‘Right to inheritance is a divine command’

Emphasising the religious, constitutional, and legal foundations of inheritance rights, the Supreme Court declared that:

“The right to inheritance is a divine command.”
“Depriving women of the right to inheritance is against the clear teachings of the Constitution and Islam.”

The judgement clarifies that ownership of a deceased person’s property automatically transfers to the heirs immediately upon death, leaving no room for interference or delay.

The verdict stresses that it is the responsibility of the state to ensure women do not face unnecessary fear, delay, or lengthy legal battles to claim their inheritance.

The court urged strict accountability for those who deprive heirs of their lawful shares, stating:

“Those who deprive the heirs of inheritance should be held accountable under the law.”