ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) – The Federal Constitutional Court has issued a significant ruling declaring that tribal chiefs are not authorised to verify identity documents such as national identity cards and domicile certificates.
A two-member bench headed by Justice Aamir Farooq released a detailed 12-page judgement, stating that the issuance and verification of identity documents must strictly follow established legal procedures.
The court held that only authorities designated under the law are empowered to verify such documents, and no tribal chief can be granted this authority outside the legal framework.
The judgement further observed that the sardari system was formally abolished in 1976 and holds no legal standing. While it may persist as a regional or cultural practice, it cannot be recognised or validated by the courts.
The bench emphasised that identity verification is a regulated process and cannot be influenced by informal or traditional structures.
The case was brought before the court by Ghulam Ali, who claimed to be the chief of the Kharoti tribe in Balochistan. He argued that members of his tribe faced severe difficulties in obtaining verified documents and were effectively deprived of identity registration.
However, the court ruled that the petitioner was not an aggrieved party and therefore his appeal was not maintainable. It also reiterated that only directly affected individuals have the legal standing to approach the court.
The decision reinforces the primacy of formal legal institutions over customary systems in matters related to citizenship documentation and administrative authority.