First Inheritance Court inaugurated in Peshawar

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) Chief Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim on Tuesday inaugurated the first dedicated Inheritance Court at the Judicial Complex Peshawar.

District & Sessions Judge Peshawar Inamullah Wazir hosted the ceremony. The judicial officers of the Peshawar district judiciary and senior lawyers attended the ceremony.The chief justice was accompanied by Registrar Barrister Ikhtiar Khan, Asad Hameed Khan, a member of the Inspection Team, and Additional Registrar (Administration) Mamrez Khan Khalil.

In his remarks, the chief justice highlighted the recurring challenge of inheritance disputes, particularly those involving women in patriarchal societies.He emphasized that women, often a socially vulnerable group, frequently encountered obstacles in securing rightful inheritance.

“This issue is exacerbated when these women, often dependent on male family members, become victims of fraudulent acts by their own brothers and relatives. Deprived of their rightful inheritance, they are forced to initiate lengthy civil suits, which can take decades to resolve,” he said and pointed out that delays in justice, especially in inheritance matters, denied justice.

Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim explained that the need for dedicated Inheritance Courts was keenly felt, and the registrar and his team were tasked with developing a comprehensive proposal for their establishment. “These efforts have now come to fruition with the inauguration of the province’s first such court,” he added.

The chief justice announced that similar courts would be established at all divisional headquarters soon, with the eventual goal of having a dedicated Inheritance Court in every district of the province.

He urged the presidents of the Peshawar High Court Bar Association and the District Bar Association, along with the District & Sessions Judge Peshawar, to launch a public awareness campaign to promote the court’s services, pledging full support for the initiative.