The Rahat Fateh Ali Khan has been granted significant relief by the Lahore High Court in a hereditary property dispute case, where his appeal was restored after being previously dismissed on technical grounds.
Justice Muhammad Sajid Mahmood Sethi issued an eight-page written judgment setting aside the earlier decision of the lower court and ordering that the matter be heard on merit.
According to the case details, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan had filed a civil suit in Faisalabad seeking confirmation of possession over a double-storey house measuring one kanal and nine marlas. The civil court had ruled against him on May 14, 2019.
The singer later challenged the decision in an appeal, but it was dismissed by the trial court after he failed to deposit a court fee of Rs15,000 within the stipulated time period.
He subsequently approached the Lahore High Court, arguing against the dismissal of his appeal on technical grounds.
In its ruling, the High Court observed that rejecting appeals solely on the basis of non-payment of court fees was inconsistent with the principles of justice. The court emphasized that legal matters should ideally be decided on merit rather than procedural technicalities.
The judgment further noted that the trial court had allowed only four days for the submission of the court fee, describing the timeframe as insufficient. The court also highlighted that the right to appeal is an important legal safeguard that should not be denied over minor procedural lapses.
The High Court directed the concerned parties to appear before the relevant court on June 2 and instructed the trial court to decide the case within two months without unnecessary delays.
The decision provides temporary relief to the renowned singer as the legal proceedings in the property dispute continue.
