A two-member bench led by Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail and Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan set aside a judgment issued by the Lahore High Court. The Supreme Court remanded the matter for fresh adjudication to ensure proper legal oversight.
Ghulam Mujtaba and Ghulam Murtaza signed a property sale agreement on 30 November 2004 for a total consideration of Rs7.3125 million. The buyer asserted that he had already paid Rs2.5 million toward the transaction.
On 2 November 2016, a trial court passed an ex parte judgment regarding the dispute. The Multan Bench of the Lahore High Court subsequently dismissed the relevant petition on 20 February 2023.
Justice Mandokhail and Justice Hassan directed the trial court to resolve the case within four months of the first appearance by the parties. The parties must appear before the relevant district judge on 26 October 2026.
Failure to comply with legal requirements for serving notice was deemed a matter concerning the fundamental right to a fair hearing rather than a mere technical irregularity. The Supreme Court expressed no opinion on the merits of the underlying dispute.
