Supreme Court Of Pakistan Dismisses K-P Ombudsperson Property Appeal

On February 24, 2026, the Supreme Court of Pakistan dismissed appeals from the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government and the K-P women ombudsperson regarding a property ownership dispute. Justice Musarrat Hilali stated, "When private parties are silent on the matter, neither the government nor the ombudsperson has the legal right to file an appeal." This ruling emphasizes that the ombudsperson, acting as a quasi-judicial entity, cannot take on the role of an affected party and must remain impartial. The court clarified that the K-P government had no ownership claim or personal stake in the property, thus lacking legal standing in the case. The original claimants, including Shabbir Khan, retain the right to appeal the decision made by the Peshawar High Court, which had previously annulled the ombudsperson's ruling under the Women Property Act 2019 due to jurisdictional overreach.