MUHAMMAD MISKEEN and others vs NOOR MUHAMMAD and others
This matter arises from a civil review petition filed by the petitioners seeking review of the Supreme Court's earlier judgment dated 26-9-2008, which had allowed the respondents' appeal and dismissed the petitioners' suit as barred by time. The core legal question concerns whether grounds for review under procedural law exist to interfere with a well-considered judgment where a suit challenging a long-standing property transaction of exchange from 1937 was instituted after an inordinate delay of 53 years. The Supreme Court dismissed the review petition, holding that the learned counsel failed to point out any error floating on the surface of the record and that mere hardship does not warrant a review. The key principle laid down is that a review petition cannot be maintained in the absence of an apparent error on the face of the record, and stale claims arising from decades-old undisputed transactions remain barred by time.
- Can a civil review petition be maintained on the sole ground of extreme hardship without demonstrating an error on the face of the record?
- Whether a suit for declaration and possession filed more than five decades after a property exchange transaction is barred by limitation?
ORDER
' The petitioners are seeking review of our judgment dated 26-9-2008 whereby Civil Appeal No, 847 of 2005 instituted by the respondents was allowed, the judgment and decree dated 29-4-2005 of the Peshawar High Court was set aside and dated 4-10-2002 passed by District Judge, Haripur was restored and plaintiffs/petitioners' suit was dismissed as hopelessly barred by time.
2. We have heard learned counsel for the parties and have also seen the available record.
3. The learned counsel for the petitioners has not been able to point out any error floating on the surface of the record of the impugned judgment sought to be reviewed. He has however, submitted that it is a case of extreme hardship. The contentions have been opposed.
4. In the interest of justice, we have once again looked at the record and have not been able to find any mistake/error or illegality in our judgment dated 26-9-2008. The transaction of exchange was entered into in the year 1937; whereas the suit for declaration and possession was instituted on 26- 3-1994. The transferor Miandad, the predecessor of the petitioners was aware of the transaction of exchange. He himself got entered Mutation No,2767 on 3-7-1937 which was attested in presence of both the parties on 8-6-1939. Miandad remained alive till 1990 but never brought any suit to challenge the validity of transfer made by him in favour of Fateh. The physical possession of the property had changed hands in 1939. Fateh remained alive till 1949. Miandad, the predecessor of the petitioners remained satisfied and silent for 53 years despite the fact that a person from another village namely Sirikot had throughout remained in physical possession of his previously owned property in village Sari. Therefore, on the face of it, the suit instituted by the petitioners, who are legal heirs of the above said Miandad, on 26-3-1994, was hopelessly barred by time.
' In view of the above mentioned, we find no merit in this petition which is dismissed with no order as to costs.
Cited by 3 cases
- Pir SHAH ABDUL HAQ (deceased) Versus MUHAMMAD IRFAN 2026 SCMR 1019
- Rasheed Ahmed and 5 others vs Allah Ditta and 3 others 2014 C.L.R. 156
- RASHID AHMAD and others vs ALLAH DITTA and otherss 2014 YLR 1748