ISLAMABAD: The Federal Constitutional Court has issued a ruling declaring that tribal chiefs (Sardars) are not authorized to verify identity documents such as national identity cards and domicile certificates.
A two-member bench headed by Justice Aamer Farooq released a detailed 12-page verdict, stating that the issuance and verification of identity documents must strictly follow the law.
The court emphasized that only legally designated authorities have the power to verify such documents. It ruled that no tribal leader can be granted these powers outside the legal framework.
The judgment further noted that the Sardari system was formally abolished in 1976, and while it may continue as a regional or cultural tradition, it holds no legal status. Therefore, such customs cannot be endorsed by the judiciary.
The court also dismissed the appeal on procedural grounds, stating that the petitioner was not an affected party and therefore the case was not maintainable.
The appeal had been filed by Ghulam Ali Khroti, who claimed to be the chief of the Khroti tribe in Balochistan. He argued that members of his tribe faced serious difficulties in obtaining verified identity documents and were being deprived of official identification.
However, the court ruled that only directly affected individuals have the legal standing to approach the court.
The case was an appeal against a prior decision of the Balochistan High Court.
