- Advertisement -
ISLAMABAD, Apr 09 (APP):Minister of State for Railways Bilal Azhar Kayani has stressed the importance of raising awareness across all segments of society, including religious scholars, community leaders, administration and the judiciary, regarding implementation of women inheritance rights.
Addressing the National Assembly on a calling attention notice, Kayani cited the Quranic injunction in Surah An-Nisa, and emphasized that both Islamic teachings and the Constitution of Pakistan — particularly Article 25 which ensures equality before the law — explicitly safeguard women’s inheritance rights.
He also highlighted the ongoing deprivation of women from their rightful share in inheritance, despite clear constitutional and legal protection.
He said that societal and systemic challenges continue to hinder the implementation of laws meant to ensure women’s property rights.
He further referenced the Muslim Family Laws Ordinance of 1961 and the Criminal Law (Third Amendment) Act, also known as the Anti-Women Practices Act, which criminalizes the denial of inheritance rights, with penalties ranging from five to ten years in prison.
Despite these legal frameworks, Kayani admitted that the problem persists. “Laws and mechanisms are in place, but unfortunately the issue remains unresolved due to societal attitudes and delays in implementation,” he stated.
Kayani also highlighted a key legislative development — the enactment of the Enforcement of Women’s Property Rights Act, 2020. This law enables affected women to approach not only family courts but also the Federal Ombudsperson Secretariat for Protection Against Harassment and relevant secretariats for redress. These bodies are empowered to conduct inquiries and issue binding orders, including directives to district administrations.
Presenting figures to illustrate the scale of the issue, Kayani revealed that since the matter was assigned to federal secretariats, 745 inheritance-related cases have been filed in the past five years, with most of them are resolved while 41 currently ongoing.
At the provincial level, Punjab recorded over 5,000 complaints since 2021, while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa saw 1,072 cases. Sindh has its own mechanism, while Balochistan is currently considering its own legislation on women’s property rights.
He also pointed to the Ministry of Human Rights’ 1099 helpline, which has received over 1,500 calls in the past five years, offering legal advice and pro bono support to affected women.
Responding to suggestions from fellow lawmakers, Kayani agreed that improving the implementation of existing laws is vital and suggested reviewing the idea of time limits for filing such cases. He underscored the judiciary’s role, noting that prolonged stay orders often delay justice for women.
Kayani concluded by urging all stakeholders — lawmakers, judiciary, administration, and civil society — to play their part.
“Inheritance is just one of the many disadvantages women face in our society. We must ensure that awareness campaigns continue and that women are encouraged to use available forums like the Federal Ombudsman and the 1099 helpline,” he said.