Vaneeza Ahmed urges women to read Nikahnamas, know their rights before marriage

Former model recalls overlooking her own Nikahnama until her divorce, warns provisions can be removed from document

Former model Vaneeza Ahmed has urged women to read their Nikahnamas carefully before marriage, warning that many remain unaware of the rights and provisions included in the Islamic marriage contract until problems arise.

Speaking on Vasay Chaudhry’s show, Ahmed admitted that despite considering herself well-educated, she had not read her own Nikahnama until she was going through a divorce. “We don't read our marriage papers, even including myself, who I consider very educated. Even I did not read them until it was time for my divorce,” she said.

The actor stressed that women should not feel embarrassed about asking questions or discussing the terms of their marriage contracts. She urged parents, particularly mothers and fathers, to encourage their daughters to understand the document and the provisions that could help protect their rights if difficulties arose during the marriage.

“Every woman, mom, and father should not be embarrassed. Those clauses should be read by the daughter because they are in her benefit and rights, in the case that if some problem occurs, she gets her rights,” she said.

She also raised concerns about provisions being removed from Nikahnamas, urging families to examine the documents carefully rather than treating them as a formality. “There are many instances where men cut things out of the marriage papers,” she added.

Ahmed further highlighted financial provisions that people might overlook, including what she described as an entitlement to pocket money under the marriage contract. She encouraged both women and men to familiarise themselves with the clauses.

“Do you guys know that it is written in the marriage papers that we get pocket money? Nobody does. I say to every woman and sister, even every male: dad, or brother to check this out,” she said.

Acknowledging that marriage was often regarded as a matter of destiny in South Asian households, Ahmed argued that this belief should not discourage families from taking practical steps to safeguard women's interests.

“Yes mom’s are right that where you will get married is written in your destiny but we can also prepare for one’s benefit. I tell everyone, do not be ashamed to ask,” she said.

Her latest remarks echoed concerns she had previously raised about women's rights and marriage customs in Pakistan.

In 2023, Ahmed spoke about the importance of understanding the terms of the nikkahnama in connection with the drama Kuch Ankahi, which featured a storyline encouraging women to reconsider the clauses in their marriage contracts.

She also discussed how women were often discouraged from asserting their rights and recalled her own experience with haq mehr, the dower agreed upon in an Islamic marriage contract. Her comments highlighted how social expectations could prevent women from questioning terms that directly affected their interests.

Ahmed rose to prominence as one of Pakistan's leading supermodels before establishing herself in television and film.

Her acting credits include the film Jinnah (1998), in which she played Dina Jinnah, and television dramas such as Ehd-e-Wafa (2019) and Kuch Ankahi (2023). In the latter, she played Sofia Agha, whose storyline touched on women's rights and social expectations.

In 2026, Ahmed has also featured in coverage of the drama Tum Larkay Bhi Na, in which she plays Nazish.