Khaliq Dad v. Bibi Sahira,
CLC 2011 200 · Balochistan High Court
This case is about a dispute over land ownership between family members. The petitioner, Khaliq Dad, claimed he was the sole rightful owner of certain properties because his brother Qahir had died without children, and another brother Zahir had already separated his share. The respondents, represented by an attorney, claimed to be the real daughters and other legal heirs of Qahir and therefore entitled to a share of the property.
A trial court initially dismissed the respondents' claim, finding they had not proven they were Qahir's legal heirs. However, an appellate court reversed this decision and ruled in favor of the respondents, granting them ownership rights. Khaliq Dad then challenged this appellate decision before the Balochistan High Court.
The High Court examined the evidence and found serious problems with the respondents' case: their identity as Qahir's daughters was based only on oral, hearsay testimony, with no reliable documentary proof. There was no original documentation proving the identity of other claimed sisters living in India, only photocopies, which were not acceptable. There was also no evidence that Qahir had ever married. Additionally, the attorney representing the respondents could not even produce his power of attorney.
The High Court concluded that the appellate court had wrongly relied on weak evidence and ignored these gaps. It restored the trial court's original decision dismissing the suit, ruling that the respondents had failed to prove their claimed relationship to Qahir and therefore had no right to the property.
یہ مقدمہ خاندان کے افراد کے درمیان زمین کی ملکیت کے تنازعے سے متعلق ہے۔ درخواست گزار خالق داد کا دعویٰ تھا کہ وہ متنازعہ جائیداد کا واحد حقیقی مالک ہے کیونکہ اس کا بھائی قہیر بلا اولاد فوت ہوا تھا، اور ایک اور بھائی زاہر اپنا حصہ پہلے ہی الگ کر چکا تھا۔ جواب دہندگان، جن کی نمائندگی ایک وکیل مختار کر رہا تھا، کا دعویٰ تھا کہ وہ قہیر کی حقیقی بیٹیاں اور دیگر قانونی وارث ہیں اور اس بنا پر جائیداد میں حصے کے حق دار ہیں۔
ٹرائل کورٹ نے ابتدائی طور پر جواب دہندگان کے دعوے کو مسترد کر دیا تھا، یہ نتیجہ اخذ کرتے ہوئے کہ وہ یہ ثابت نہیں کر سکے کہ وہ قہیر کے قانونی وارث ہیں۔ تاہم اپیلٹ کورٹ نے اس فیصلے کو کالعدم قرار دیتے ہوئے جواب دہندگان کے حق میں فیصلہ دیا اور انہیں ملکیت کے حقوق دے دیے۔ خالق داد نے اس اپیلٹ فیصلے کو بلوچستان ہائی کورٹ میں چیلنج کیا۔
ہائی کورٹ نے شواہد کا جائزہ لی