A woman's right to own

Quite often in Pakistan, women give up their career aspirations and financial freedom in exchange for becoming housewives and mothers, consequently putting themselves at risk of exploitation in case a marriage goes south. To counter this, it is customary for a bride to receive gold or even property from her parents, in-laws and husband so she may retain a degree of her independence. But as it happens with many local customs, the part meant to offer women protection is frequently rendered symbolic by those very gift-givers, who take it as an opportunity to brag about their wealth instead.

Mercifully, a landmark Supreme Court judgement has now established that any gifts - including gold, jewellery or property - given to a bride at the time of her wedding will remain hers, regardless of whether the marriage stays or not. This judgement is not necessary solely for financial benefit, but it is rather significant for several reasons. One of the biggest reasons that often holds women back from leaving an abusive marriage is their financial dependence on their partner. If seeking a khula, they are obligated to forego the haq mehr - their financial security within that marriage. Therefore, the gifts are then their only security. But after a divorce takes place, it is quite common for families to go back on their word and retrieve the gifts they bestowed on a newlywed bride via court cases, leaving her with little to no options.

In a culture where women are trained since childhood to become the perfect wives, acquire skills for household management and relinquish any sense of self they might form through their careers, it is their absolute right to rely on such gifts. The ruling itself now acts as a sense of security for women, who are unaccustomed to having possessions of their own.