University of Peshawar takes possession of Rs. 5 billion property

What happened

The University of Peshawar (UoP) has secured possession of a bungalow located on Gul Mohar Road in University Town after a 22-year legal dispute [1, 2]. The property, which spans more than nine kanals, is valued at Rs. 5 billion [1].

Key details of the legal timeline include:

• January 2, 1974: The late Begum Kulsoom Amin Durrani donated the property through a registered waqf deed [1, 2].
• September 21, 2004: The university filed a civil suit to establish legal title and recover possession [1, 2].
• June 22, 2013: A civil court declared the property as waqf, recognized the university as its mutawalli (trustee/administrator), and barred defendants from selling or transferring it [1, 2].
• November 15, 2023: The Additional District Judge-II in Peshawar dismissed an appeal filed by the judgment debtors [1, 2].
• March 23, 2025: The Peshawar High Court lifted a status quo order [1, 2].
• October 15, 2026: The court dismissed the opponents’ civil revision petitions [1, 2].
• October 9, 2026: An executing court directed the SSP Operations, Peshawar, to provide police assistance to the court bailiff to enforce the possession order [1, 2].
• October 16, 2026: Court bailiffs Jehanzeb Khan and Shaghir Khan, accompanied by district courts police and SHO Mubarik Zaib Khan, handed over possession to the university registrar [2].

The university was represented by lawyer Jehanzeb Khan Muhammadzai and Riaz Ali Khan, the head of the university’s Legal Section [2]. The possession ceremony was attended by Vice-Chancellor Meritorious Professor Dr Johar Ali, Additional Registrar Dr Akhtar Amin, Director (Administration) Emel Khan, Deputy Registrar (Establishment) Riaz Ali Khan, and Deputy Director (Administration) Fazli Mabood [2].

Who is affected

The property was dedicated for charitable and religious purposes. According to the university administration, income generated from the bungalow is intended to support the educational objectives of the waqf deed [2]. This includes providing stipends and scholarships to up to 350 deserving students across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa [1, 2].