Hamim Akhtar was ordered to pay a fine of Rs500,000 for involvement in false testimony and misleading litigation in a protracted inheritance case. The court has mandated a three-month deadline for payment, warning that failure to comply will lead to the seizure of property by the revenue department.
Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa, who presided over the bench, expressed his deep frustration at the case, which has dragged on for an astounding 26 years. “The culture of disinheriting women must end,” he asserted, insisting that serious action be taken against those providing false testimonies.
He declared, “Enough is enough. We will not allow the rights of widows to be curtailed any further.”
The case involves Shamim Akhtar, whose husband, Mehrban, passed away in 1998. The inheritance dispute intensified when the second wife’s nephews falsely claimed that Mehrban had gifted the property to them. The court highlighted how such deceitful claims had complicated what should have been a straightforward inheritance process.
During the proceedings, CJP Isa warned against exploiting vulnerable women in these disputes and urged legal professionals to refrain from representing misleading cases. “Those who wish to suppress property can do so at any time.
Lawyers should not take on false cases,” he stated. He also noted the challenges faced when victims attempt to raise complaints against unethical lawyers.
The Chief Justice called on the parties involved to acknowledge their wrongdoing, saying, “If you confess your sins today, you will be spared from punishment in the hereafter.”
He underscored that attempts to deny a widow her rightful claim to property are intolerable and must be addressed decisively under the law.
