AMARA Waqas and her husband were married in 2015. Prior to her marriage, Ms Waqas had been a PAF officer. The marriage ended in January 2021. The husband retained control of the assets acquired during the marriage, including a Suzuki Cultus, dowry items that Ms Waqas had brought with her, and household items in the couple’s use. When Ms Waqas tried to request the return of these items, they were not provided to her; in particular, it was alleged that she had no share in the car because it was in her husband’s name. Amara Waqas, who had filed for khula, then turned to the Islamabad High Court (IHC). Earlier court orders had refused to grant her relief in respect of the property.

This is a very old story in Pakistan. Even when marriages are not being dissolved, the fact that property is usually in the husband’s name is a deterrent to wives’ being able to assert their rights or their worth within the marital relationship. Taking advantage of the traditional division of labour in most Pakistani marriages, it is common for husbands to exercise financial control over assets to make sure that all property acquired during the marriage is in their name. In cases of abusive........

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