![]() ![]() On the day she was to depart to a village where her cousin lives for her wedding, the 23-year-old ran away. She had been arranged to marry her cousin, but did not want to, despite her parents wishes. Hania (name changed) comes from a working-class family in Islamabad, and managed to earn a bachelors' degree, and aspires to get a high-paying job. It is more challenging for women from rural areas or poor socioeconomic backgrounds, as they generally cannot forego the financial support, he added. ![]() Khan told DW that women from educated or affluent backgrounds usually file for khula when the marriage is no longer working, even if it is at the cost of foregoing their dowry. Momin Ali Khan is a lawyer who has taken on more family law cases due to high demand. It was only after living together that differences came out," he added. "Even though we were technically married for a year, we were still technically just dating because we still didn't live together. "Unlike in the West, where people usually have live-in relationships before they get married, here you don't," he told DW. However, he recently filed for divorce saying he was not "compatible" with his wife, despite having dated before marriage. Kamal, a 33-year-old marketing manager, got married in 2018. Many marriages in Pakistan are arranged Image: Rahmat Gul/AP Photo/picture alliance Couples signing a marriage contract before living together is also common. In Pakistan, marriages by choice are called "love marriages." However, arranged marriages are very common in the South Asian country. Although Islamic law is very clear about women's right to alimony, the reality is that many women like Shazia do not receive anything from an ex-husband. Shazia is able to support herself on what she earns, however, it is very difficult to give her sons the lifestyle she wants for them. Once my cooking business took off a bit and I felt I could become financially independent, I became emotionally independent enough to finally leave my marriage," the 41-year-old told DW. "I didn't have much of an education or work experience, but I had my cooking skills. Shazia (name changed) is a mother of two who left her abusive marriage last year. "Women know about their rights and are more independent," she said. Raza said more women are aware that they can leave marriages for reasons other than physical abuse, including psychological abuse or simply "not getting anything" out of a marriage. She noted that there has also been an increase in the number of family law judges. Raza added that there are more family courts being established that cater to family law, khula and guardianship issues. Unlike a khula, the husband's consent is mandatory. Cases of formal divorce in Pakistan must be initiated by the husband. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Pakistani women demand more autonomyĪtika Hassan Raza, an attorney at the Human Rights Protection Center, a Lahore-based human rights non-profit, told DW that more women are seeking a khula. Who are Pakistan's 'brides of the Quran'? The survey found that 2 in 5 of the respondents believed that a couple's in-laws were responsible for most of these cases. These include spousal abuse, the husband leaving or a husband's mental health issues.Īlthough official rates of women seeking to dissolve their marriages aren't recorded, the number of khulas seems to be rising.Īccording to a 2019 survey carried out by Gallup and Gilani Pakistan, 58% of Pakistanis believe that divorce is becoming more prevalent in the country. There are several reasons for which a wife can seek a dissolution of marriage under khula. This is called a "khula" and is arbitrated by a family court. In the South Asian country, a woman cannot "file for divorce" but rather has the right to dissolve a marriage under Sharia without the consent of her husband. In Pakistan, divorce is not monitored by any dedicated agency and rules are dictated by Sharia or Islamic law. Women's rights activists say the increase comes as women in the Islamic nation's patriarchal society are becoming more empowered and are less willing to settle for abusive marriages. More women in Pakistan are choosing to leave their marriages, despite divorce remaining a complicated social taboo in the country's conservative culture. ![]()
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