Dr. Mahmood-ur-Rahman Faisal Versus Government of Pakistan

IN THE FEDERAL SHARIAT COURT

( O rig in a l J u ris d ic tio n )

PRESENT

M r.J u s tic e D r.T a n z ilu r-R a h m a n CHIEF JU STIC E M r.J u s tic e D r.F id a Muhammad K han M r.J u s tic e Mir H azar K h an K hoso SHARIAT PETITIO N N o .3/1 OF 1992 D r.M ahm oodur R ahm an — P e titio n e r F aisal

V e rs u s

G o v ern m en t o f — R e s p o n d e n ts P a k is ta n e tc .

C o u n se l f o r th e p e titio n e r — p e titio n e r in p e rs o n D ate o f in s titu tio n — 28-1-1992 D ate o f h e a r in g 10-5-1992 D ate o f d ecisio n 10-5-1992

S n P . N o . 3 / 1 o f 1992

JUDGMENT:

D R . TANZILUR-RAHMAN, CHIEF JU S T IC E . - B y th is S h a ria t P e titio n th e p ro v is io n o f s e c tio n 3 o f th e L im itation A c t, 1908, h a s b e e n c h a lle n g e d . T h e s a id s e c tio n r e a d s a s u n d e r : - " S .3 . S u b je c t to th e p ro v is io n s c o n ta in e d in se c tio n s4 to 25 (in c lu s iv e ), e v e r y s u it in s titu te d , a p p e a l p r e f e r r e d , a n d a p p lic a tio n made a f t e r th e p e rio d o f lim itatio n p r e s c r ib e d th e r e f o r b y F ir s t Schedule s h a ll b e d ism isse d , a lth o u g h lim itatio n h a s n o t b e e n s e t u p a s a d e fe n c e ."

E x p la n a tio n .-A s u it i s in s titu te d , in o r d in a r y c a s e s , w hen th e p la in t is p r e s e n te d to th e p r o p e r o ff ic e r; in th e c a se o f a p a u p e r , w hen h is a p p lic a tio n f o r le av e to s u e a s a p a u p e r is m ade; a n d , in th e c a s e o f a claim a g a in s t a com pany w h ich is b e in g w ound u p b y th e C o u rt, w hen th e claim an t f i r s t s e n d s in h is claim to th e o fficial liq u id a to r ."

2.No v e r s e o f th e Holy Q u r'a n o r th e S u n n a h o f th e Holy P ro p h e t ( ___ my ) has b e e n ciite d in s u p p o r t o r o th e rw is e o f th e p ro p o s itio n o f rep u g n an cy o f th e law o f lim itatio n a s r e p u g n a n t to th e In ju n c tio n s o f Islam . T h e re a r e , h o w e v e r, some ju r is tic opinions in s u p p o r t o f th e p ro p o s itio n th a t a S ta te c an fix v a rio u s p e rio d s o f lim itatio n fo r v a rio u s k in d s o f s u its in p u b lic i n t e r e s t .

3.Allama Ib n A bideen in h is fam ous w ork " R a d d -a l-M u h ta r" p o p u la rly k now n a s ' F ataw a Sham i1 in th e S u b -c o n tin e n t, h a s w ritte n t h a t : - t j . U j- ij • L-i'lM ,y L V*!— 3

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- S . P . N 3 . 3 / I o f 1992 -3-

(T h e re a s o n o f n e g a tio n is th e e ra d ic a tio n o f d e c e itfu ln e s s a n d falsificatio n ^an d it is n o t against vJiat is stated in a l- I s h b a h e tc . t h a t is ftnon e x tin g u is h m e n t o f r i g h t s b e c a u s e o f lim itatio n Q azi's r e f u s a l to h e a r a n y c a s e is i n such circumstances when a p a r t y d e n ie s th e fa c ts .,in case h e m akes adm ission th e n s u c h s u it will b e e n te r ta in e d . A s e v id e n t w h at we m entioned with re f e r e n c e to Fataw a Aliraula A bi A l-'S a 'u d A fan d i t h a t t h e r e is no fa lsific a tio n w ith c o n fe s s io n ). (S ham i v o l.IV p a g e 381).

4.Ib n A b id een a t a n o th e r p la c e o f h is fam ous w o rk , r e f e r r e d to a b o v e , h a s a lso e x p r e s s e d h is o p in io n th a t th e claim s will n o t b e h e a r d b y th e C o u rts a f te r la p s e o f tim e . He s a y s :

(D ecision o f a ju d g e is m ean t to m a n ife st a t h in g a n d n o t to p ro v e it.

J u d ic ia r y th e r e f o r e h a s b e e n s p e c ifie d w ith tim e, p la c e a n d categories o f s u its a n d claim s. I f th e C o u rt w ere o r d e r e d n o t to h e a r c e rta in c a s e s a f t e r th e la p s e o f 15 y e a r s 'p e r i o d s . T h e se cases if heard would not b e e x e c u te d ). (Ib n A b id e e n : R a d d -a l-M u h ta r v o l.IV , p .3 8 0 ) .

5.T h e re is a lso a c h a p te r c o n ta in e d in th e 'M ajille al Ahkam a l-A d lia h ' till 1924 in T u r k e y d u r in g th e C a lip h a te o f S u lta n A b d u l H am eed, th e Second. In th e sa id law d if f e r e n t p e rio d s h a v e b e e n fix e d fo r b rin g in g in C o u rt v a rio u s claim s. In th is r e s p e c t re fe re n c e m ay b e m ade to s e c tio n s 1660 - 1675. Some o f th e re le v a n t p ro v is io n s o f th e s a id law a r e re p ro d u c e d as u n d e r:-

L j l y J Il a J I j Ci la 11 y 4-Ag J j J I y j J I i^y£ J )|

bZ— I I(ji Jtiyl1 Vy i*L«JI 1 ^ U jJl ^ «J.*J t y rt 'foy j^ A J I 4—gj y ll I j jjySjLs*- L I y 1 AaJ s UuJ 1

S . P . N a . 3 / 1 o f 1992

(A c tio n s w h ich do n o t a ffe c t th e p u b lic o r p r o p e r ty in c lu d e d in t h a t o rig in a lly m ade V a q f, s u c h a s a c tio n s f o r d e b t a n d fo r a th in g d e p o site d f o r s a f e -k e e p in g a n d fo r im m ovable mulk p r o p e r ty , a n d in h e r ita n c e , a n d a c tio n s f o r th e b e n e fit a n d p ro d u c e o f d e d ic a te d p r o p e r ty , a n d fo r a m e s h ru te h te v lie t a n d fo r t h e p o s se ss io n b y ija r e te in o r m u q a ta 'a o f im m ovable V aq f p r o p e r tie s , a f te r b e in g a b a n d o n e d fo r 15 y e a r s a r e n o t h e a r d .)

(s e c tio n 1660 .Translated b y C .R .T yser,Preadent,D istt:C ourt o f K y re n ia ).

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(In th is c h a p te r is c o n s id e re d , t h a t is to s a y , th e la p se o f tim e, w hich p r e v e n ts th e h e a r in g o f a c tio n s , is th e la p s e o f tim e w hich h a s ta k e n p lace w ith o u t e x c u s e .

O n th e o th e r h a n d c o n s id e ra tio n is n o t g iv e n to tim e w hich p a s s e s , in c o n se q u e n c e o f o n e o f th e e x c u s e s allow ed b y S h e r1 Law.

S u c h a s , a p e r s o n b e in g a n in fa n t o r madman o r p e rs o n o f u n s o u n d m ind, w h e th e r th e p la in tif f h a s a g u a rd ia n o r n o t, o r a p e r s o n b e in g in a fo re ig n c o u n tr y a lo n g w ay o ff (m u d d e t s e f e r ) , o r h is o p p o n e n t b e in g a p e rs o n in p o w e r.

T h e re fo r e , th e b e g in n in g o f th e tim e w hich e la p s e s is c o n s id e re d to b e from th e rem oval o f th e e x c u s e ) .

F o r e x a m p le .—T h e tim e w h en a p e r s o n is a n in f a n t is n o t

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c o n s id e re d in th e tim e p a s s e d . T h e tim e e la p s e d from th e d a te w hen he a r r iv e d a t fu ll a g e is c o n s id e re d a lo n e .

L ikew ise, w h en a p e rso n 's- a ctio n is w ith o n e who is in p o w e r, i f tim e e la p s e d in c o n se q u e n c e o f h is n o t b e in g a b le to b r in g h is a c tio n , w hile th e p o w e r o f h is o p p o n e n t l a s t s , it d o es n o t p r e v e n t th e h e a r in g o f t h a t a c tio n .

T h e tim e e la p s e d i s o n ly c o n s id e re d from th e d a te w hen th e p o w e r c e a s e d . (S e c tio n 1663,T ra n s la tio n ,ib id ).

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( I f a p e r s o n h a* le f t h is a c tio n a s a b o v e -m e n tio n e d w ith o u t p T m g p a n d th e tim e h a s e la p s e d , t h a t a c tio n i f b r o u g h t b y h im se lf, w hile b e i s a liv e , i s n o t h e a r d , a n d i t i s n o tt h e a r d i f b r o u g h t b y h is h e ir s o n h is d e a t h ) . (S e c tio n 1669,T ra n sla tio n , ib id ).

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( T h e r e f o r e , w hen a n a c tio n is p r e s c r ib e d , a n d th e d e fe n d a n t, in th e p re s e n c e o f th e ju d g e , adm its a n d avow s e x p lic itly th a t th e r e is s till a r ig h t a g a in s t h im self in th e w ay claim ed b y th e p la in tiff in h is a c tio n , no a tte n tio n is p a id to th e la p se o f tim e, ju d g m e n t is g iv e n a c c o rd in g to th e adm ission o f th e d e fe n d an t ) (S e c tio n 1 6 7 4 \T r a n s la tio n jb id ) .

T h e s u b je c t h a s a lso b e e n d is c u s s e d b y Ib n A b id e en in 'A l-A u Q o o d -a l-D u rriv a h fi T a n a ih -a l-F a ta w a A l-H am diva ( L , jJ I \ Lo«UJI ^ jL s ) . R e fe re n c e may b e m ade to 'K ita b -a l-D a 'w a wa M utaliba (* JL U j ) V o l.II p a g e s 2 -12. T h e r e le v a n t p o rtitio n is re p ro d u c e d below

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( I t is s ta t e d in Ja m i'a l Fataw a a n d th e j u r i s t s o f l a t e r p e rio d s ta t e d t h a t a claim c a n n o t b e e n te r ta in e d a f t e r th e la p s e o f 36 y e a r s u n le s s th e p e titio n e r i s n o t p r e s e n t , o r is im m ature o r o f u n s o u n d m ind a n d th e y h a v e n o g u a rd ia n to m anage t h e i r a ffa irs o r re s p o n d e n t is a t y r a n t r u l e r , in f e a r o f h is ty r a n n ic a c tio n , h e becom es la te in filin g p e titio n ) .

7.T h e law o f lim itatio n , in f a c t, p r e s c r ib e s c e r ta in p e rio d s o f lim itation w ith in w hich s u its a n d o th e r a c tio n s may b e i n s titu te d in a C o u rt o f law . T h e law is b a s e d o n c e r ta in c o n s id e ra tio n s o f p u b lic p o lic y . F ir s tly , th e y p r o te c t d e fe n d a n t from b e in g v e x e d b y o ld claim s p e r ta in in g to lo n g - p a s s e d m a tte r s , a b o u t w hich o c u la r o r d o c u m e n ta ry e v id e n c e m ay no lo n g e r b e a v a ila b le . S e c o n d ly , th e law o f lim itatio n calls u p o n th e p la in tif f to see k th e aid o f ju s tic e v ig ila n tly w ith in a re a so n a b le tim e. T h is is b a s e d on th e maxim t h a t law h e lp s th e " v ig ila n t a n d n o t in d o le n t." T h ir d ly , i t is a m a tte r o f p u b lic p o lic y t h a t th e d is p u te s , if a n y , m u st clo se a n d a tta in yn

fin a lity w ith in a re a so n a b le tim e. T h e d is p u te , if a n y , sh o u ld n o t h a n g on a p e r s o n so a s to je o p a rd is e th e r i g h t o f th e o th e r p e r s o n a g a in s t whom

th e r i g h t is claim ed. In th e w o rd s o f L o rd K en y o n , th e law o f lim itatio n is a 's t a t u t e o f r e p o s e .”

8.I t m ay, h o w e v e r, b e c la rifie d t h a t th e law o f lim itatio n d o es n o t e x tin g u is h th e r ig h t o f a p e r s o n in r e s p e c t o f h is claim to a r ig h t o f p r o p e r ty . I t o n ly d e b a r s from s e e k in g th e a id o f th e C o u rt o f law .

9.I t m ay f u r t h e r b e c la rifie d t h a t r ig h t o f a p e r s o n d o es n o t e x tin g u is h o r tim e b a r r e d u p till th e D ay o f J u d g m e n t. A n o b lig a tio n in te rm s o f m oney, a s s e t o r p r o p e r ty re m a in s re d e em a b le b y a d e b to r o r t r a n s g r e s s o r . B u t th e r ig h t to in v o k e th e a id o f C o u rt m ay becom e b a r r e d b y tim e , fix e d b y th e S ta te . M o reo v er, a s th e law o f lim ita tio n , g e n e ra lly s p e a k in g , fa lls w ith in th e dom ain o f p r o c e d u r a l law a n d h a s b e e n k e p t o u ts id e th e p a le o f ju ris d ic tio n o f th is C o u rt a s p ro v id e d u n d e r A rtic le 2Q3B(c) o f th e C o n s titu tio n , th is C o u rt is n o t co m p eten t to exam ine th e s a id p ro v is io n o f th e p ro c e d u ra l law .

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10.With th e ab o v e o b s e r v a tio n s , we a re o f th e o p in io n t h a t th e p ro v is io n o f s e c tio n 3, a s s u c h , is n o t r e p u g n a n t to th e In ju n c tio n s o f Islam a s i t d o es n o t e x tin g u is h th e r i g h t . I t is o n ly a n e n a b lin g p ro v isio n o f law to p r e s c r ib e c e r ta in p e rio d s o f lim itatio n to b r in g s u it in a C o u rt o f law .

11.T h e p e titio n e r h a s a lso c h a lle n g e d in th is p e titio n th e e n tir e S c h e d u le w hich c o n s is ts o f o n e h a n d r e d e ig h ty th r e e (183) A rtic le s p r e s c r ib ­ in g d if f e r e n t p e rio d s o f lim itatio n fo r d iff e r e n t k in d s o f s u its /a p p lic a tio n s etc.

T h is Schedule, g e n e ra lly speaking, com es w ith in the purview erf procedural law .

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T7

•^S . P . N o . 3 / 1 o f 1991

We do n o t fe e l in c lin e d in th is p e titio n to c o n s id e r e a c h a n d e v e r y A rtic le m en tio n ed in th e S c h e d u le a s no a s s is ta n c e w as made a v ailab le to u s b y th e p e titio n e r in th is r e g a r d . M o reo v er, a n u m b e r o f o th e r p e titio n s c h a lle n g in g s e v e ra l A rtic le s o n th e g ro u n d t h a t th e y fall w ith in th e am bit o f s u b s ta n tiv e law , file d b y th e o th e r p e titio n e r s , a r e a lre a d y p e n d in g a d ju d ic a tio n b e fo re th is C o u r t. We would Bfce to examine such Articles in those petitions

12.In r e s u l t , th e p e titio n is d ism isse d a c c o rd in g ly .

( D r .F id a Muhammad K han) Ju d g e

. /) . /c (M ir H azar K han K h o so )' Ju d g e

Isla m a b ad , th e 1 0th M ay, 1992.

ABDUL RAHMAN/***