ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Religious Affairs held a heated debate this week over a proposed law that would entitle divorced women to a 50 percent share in their former husband’s property, ultimately deciding to seek guidance from the Council of Islamic Ideology before proceeding further. The session, chaired by Senator Atta-ur-Rehman, took place at Parliament House.
The private member’s bill, introduced by Senator Syed Ali Zafar, seeks to provide financial protection to women, particularly those who have spent decades in marriage supporting their households without independent income.
Zafar argued that many divorced women, especially after unions lasting 40 years or more, are left without adequate housing or financial security despite years of unpaid domestic labour.
His proposal would allow a clause to be inserted into marriage contracts granting the wife a 50 percent property share upon divorce, citing comparable legal frameworks in Iran, Syria, Libya, Jordan, Malaysia, the United Kingdom, and India.
The bill drew mixed reactions. Senator Bushra Anjum Butt argued that husbands’ financial interests should also be safeguarded in cases where wives are the stronger earners. Senator Hafiz Abdul Karim rejected the bill as currently framed, insisting that legislation should be grounded in Islamic principles rather than Western models, maintaining that Islam already affords women adequate protections.
However, Senator Sarmad Ali pushed back, cautioning against assuming Turkish or Iranian laws are inherently un-Islamic, while Senator Dinesh Kumar pointed out that similar protections already exist under Hindu personal law in Pakistan.
Committee chairman Atta-ur-Rehman reiterated that no legislation could contradict the Quran and Sunnah, a position echoed by Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousuf, who supported referring the matter to the Council of Islamic Ideology. The committee will either forward the bill for religious review or invite Council representatives to its next session before reaching a final decision.
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