Islamabad, Pakistan – Web Desk: Pakistan’s Federal Constitutional Court has ruled that tribal chiefs are not authorized to verify official identity documents, including national identity cards and domicile certificates, in a landmark decision clarifying legal authority over documentation.
A two-member bench headed by Justice Aamir Farooq issued a detailed 12-page verdict, stating that the issuance and verification of identity documents must strictly follow established legal procedures. The court emphasized that only designated authorities defined under the law are empowered to authenticate such documents.
The ruling underscored that tribal or traditional systems, including the Sardari system, do not carry legal standing in matters of official documentation. It noted that the Sardari system was formally abolished in 1976 and remains a cultural or regional practice without legal recognition.
The court further observed that judicial validation cannot be granted to customary practices that fall outside the framework of statutory law. It stressed that granting verification powers to tribal leaders would contradict existing legal provisions.
The case was brought by Ghulam Ali, who identified himself as the chief of the Kharoti tribe in Balochistan. He had challenged a Balochistan High Court ruling, arguing that members of his tribe faced difficulties in obtaining verified identity documents.
However, the court dismissed the appeal, stating that the petitioner was not an affected party and therefore lacked the legal standing to pursue the case. It reiterated that only directly affected individuals are entitled to seek judicial relief.
Legal experts say the decision could have broader implications for governance, identity verification systems, and the role of traditional authority structures in Pakistan.
