PIA employee's widow moves SC after father-in-law 'steals' insurance money

ISLAMABAD: The widow and daughter of a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) employee have moved to the Supreme Court (SC) to get their inheritance right after the insurance money was taken away by the father-in-law following the accidental death of the airline’s worker, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

The Supreme Court (SC) heard the petition filed by the widow and daughter of an employee of PIA named Faraz Ahmed Faraz to claim the insurance money following his accidental death.

It emerged that the insurance money worth Rs2.3 million issued by the airline was taken away by the deceased employee’s father.

In the petition, the widow and daughter sought the provision of their due share in inheritance after Faraz Ahmed Faraz’s accidental death.

READ: WOMEN MUST CLAIM THEIR RIGHT TO INHERITANCE IN LIFETIME, RULES SC

The lawyer pleaded with the top court to give the due share of the widow in her husband’s inheritance besides the provision of employment and payment of his daughter’s educational expenses.

The PIA lawyer Rana Waqar apprised the SC judge that the status of the airline has been changed to a company from a corporation, hence, the petitioner could not get any relief on behalf of her claims on the basis of the previous law.

The SC judge remarked, “If the application was given in past, the decision would be taken in accordance with the older or newer law?” The lawyer of the widow argued that the decision on an older application will be taken in accordance with the law at that time as per the court’s previous rulings.

READ: SUPREME COURT ISSUES WRITTEN JUDGMENT ON WOMEN INHERITANCE

Justice Sajjad Ali Shah remarked, “How can we order to implement the decision if older law is not existing?” Justice Shah maintained that the court could issue orders to the PIA to decide on the application. The SC judge remarked that the airline’s decision will allow the complainant to move to the court against it.

The widow’s counsel agreed to the suggestion and said that the issue would be resolved if the institution gives its decision on the application.

The top court wrapped up the petition after directing the PIA management to decide on the widow’s application within two months. The SC also ordered the airline to investigate on disbursing the insurance money worth Rs2.3 million to only one heir.

Moreover, the court also issued directives to give widow’s share in her husband’s inheritance in accordance with the Shariah law after retrieving additional money from the deceased employee’s father.