According to a ruling by the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP), men must legally provide their wives with Haq Meher upon request.
In a three-page ruling, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa emphasised that women have the legal right to a Haq Mehar during Nikkah, as stipulated by Shariah, and that this right is protected by the nation’s legal system.
According to CJP Isa, the wife is free to demand payment of the Haq Mehar at any moment if the Nikkah Nama does not indicate when it must be made.
Justice Isa expressed worry about the need for legal involvement in cases like this and criticised the wife’s protracted legal struggle, pointing out that it took six years for the case to make it all the way to the Supreme Court.
The Chief Justice further chastised lower courts for failing to penalise the husband for filing needless appeals, pointing out that this kind of behaviour adds to the drawn-out nature of court cases. He said that the imposition of sanctions on those who file baseless appeals might hasten the legal process and keep the system from becoming immobilised by these kinds of actions.
The CJP ordered Khalid Parvez to pay a fine of Rs. 100,000, cover the costs of the legal procedures, and perform his dower duty to his wife, Samina, in line with these remarks.
Khalid Parvez’s appeal was rejected by the Supreme Court. The ruling underscores the significance of upholding women’s rights and discouraging baseless appeals to ensure a more efficient judicial system.
