PM to roll out new mechanism for succession certificates

ISLAMABAD: The government has decided to facilitate citizens in obtaining a succession certificate within 15 days from the ‘Succession Facilitation Units’ (SFUs) across the country as Prime Minister Imran Khan will inaugurate the initiative from his office on Thursday.
After the initiative, any legal heir will not file a lawsuit for succession certificate in subordinate court but apply to the SFU, which will be bound to issue the certificate within 15 days after receiving the application.
The federal law ministry has devised a mechanism to establish the SFUs in collaboration with the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) to issue letters of administration and succession certificates. The NADRA will use biometric authentication to issue succession certificates and letters of administration for the first time in Pakistan.
Earlier, obtaining a succession certificate was a troublesome task as one had to invoke the local court jurisdiction, ensure the presence of every family member before the court and wait for a long time to receive the document.
Another benefit of the initiative would be facilitation to the overseas Pakistanis to obtain the certificate from the NADRA, whose database is being connected with all the foreign missions.
Pakistanis or their legal heirs abroad will be able to get their letters of administration or succession certificates processed from abroad without the need of being physically present in Pakistan or appearing before the Pakistani courts.
The spokesperson of the ministry expressed that before the arrangement in hand, the process of declaration from courts was taking two to seven years while after the initiative, it will take just two weeks. ”The initiative will save a lot of expense and time, and release burden on the courts.
It merits mentioning that the Sindh Assembly has already passed the new succession law that will allow the NADRA to issue succession certificates directly to legal heirs in the province.