The Supreme Court announced on Thursday that a woman’ inheritance could only be claimed during her lifetime, and after her death her children had no right to claim over it. This ruling was decided in a court case where two children of the deceased mother claimed a share of their maternal grandfather Isa Khan’s property back in 2004. The grandfather had passed all of his property to his son Abdur Rehman in 1935 and did not give a share of his property to his two daughters, and both of them had not filed a lawsuit against their father during their lifetime.
Social media had to criticize the Supreme Court ruling by pointing out that the inheritance laws have made it more difficult for women to seek control over property. Activist Ammar Rashid criticized this decision on Twitter by explaining that already women own 1% of the property in Pakistan, and this ruling only allows male relatives to kill women in order to take over their land
Besides legally exacerbating women’s economic subordination in Pakistan (only about 1% of Pakistani women own property), this judgment practically invites trigger happy male relatives to kill women to usurp their share in property (an already frequent occurrence). Utter travesty. https://t.co/hslH5LARNv
— Ammar Rashid (@AmmarRashidT) September 23, 2021
He further detailed how biased courts were against women in terms of claiming their share in property, by citing his own experience of watching his mother and sister face difficulties in courts
seen my mom & her sisters struggle their whole lives to get even a minor share of their inheritance through courts. 1 judge asked them to forego their shares bc ‘brothers have more rights’. jurisprudence already pretty lopsided here so hard to see how this could be good in anyway
— Ammar Rashid (@AmmarRashidT) September 23, 2021
Another twitter user pointed out that this ruling doesn’t take into consideration how during their lifetime, women are blackmailed or face larger consequences by their relatives to prevent them from claiming a share in their property. But now such a black and white ruling makes it further difficult for their children to demand a share in inheritance.
Because as in life, so in death, this country seeks to wipe off the existence of women.
Women’s inheritance can only be claimed in their lifetime, rules SC https://t.co/icVO40enUp
— Natasha (@OhTripe) September 23, 2021
This user had to point out that this ruling was disappointing because it further tries to limit a woman’s participation in society
Not that this country isn’t safe for women but that the nation state actively seeks to limit their participation in society to the vicinity of the kitchen stove.. what a depressing day. https://t.co/fTMyhyDeTq
— Areeba Fatima (@AreebaFatimaa) September 24, 2021
Another user mentioned how this ruling is further endangering the lives of women because of honor killing, when family members murder women because she has brought shame to the family and it can be used as an incentive to claim over her share of property
Doesn’t this actually endanger lives of women, especially at risk of killing in name of honour? Property/inheritance matters can act as a deterrent against violence from families.
— Dawar Butt (@theLahorewala) September 24, 2021
