The Lahore High Court on Friday issued a landmark ruling, ordering authorities to appoint a woman as the permanent lumberdar (numberdar) in Tehsil Dunyapur, Lodhran district, declaring attempts to reduce her score based on community bias illegal.
Justice Raheel Kamran Sheikh issued an eight-page written verdict stating that denying women equal opportunities in public positions violates constitutional principles.
The court invalidated the decision of the Deputy Commissioner Lodhran and the Board of Revenue that had blocked the woman’s appointment.
The position became vacant following the death of the previous numberdar. The petitioner, Kulsoom Akhtar, submitted her application for permanent appointment, but her score was allegedly reduced to zero on the basis of community, effectively removing her from the merit list. Records showed that her father had previously served as the village numberdar.
The court noted that if her father could hold the post, Kulsoom Akhtar could not be disqualified on the basis of community. Initially, the Assistant Commissioner had placed her at the top of the merit list, but the Deputy Commissioner later lowered her score citing sub-community considerations.
The verdict emphasized that the numberdar role is a public responsibility, not a hereditary right, and administrative powers cannot be exercised arbitrarily. It also highlighted Kulsoom Akhtar’s extensive experience in rural affairs, revenue matters, and public liaison work.
The high court ruled that the Board of Revenue had failed to properly assess legal conflicts and merit.