"\u003chtml xmlns:o=\"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office\"\r\nxmlns:w=\"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word\"\r\nxmlns=\"http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40\"\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003chead\u003e\r\n\u003cmeta http-equiv=Content-Type content=\"text/html; charset=windows-1252\"\u003e\r\n\u003cmeta name=ProgId content=Word.Document\u003e\r\n\u003cmeta name=Generator content=\"Microsoft Word 11\"\u003e\r\n\u003cmeta name=Originator content=\"Microsoft Word 11\"\u003e\r\n\u003clink rel=File-List href=\"2021J7_files/filelist.xml\"\u003e\r\n\u003ctitle\u003eRIGHTS OF DIVORCED WOMEN: \u003c/title\u003e\r\n\u003c!--[if gte mso 9]\u003e\u003cxml\u003e\r\n \u003co:DocumentProperties\u003e\r\n  \u003co:Author\u003eUser\u003c/o:Author\u003e\r\n  \u003co:Template\u003eNormal\u003c/o:Template\u003e\r\n  \u003co:LastAuthor\u003eUser\u003c/o:LastAuthor\u003e\r\n  \u003co:Revision\u003e2\u003c/o:Revision\u003e\r\n  \u003co:TotalTime\u003e0\u003c/o:TotalTime\u003e\r\n  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Section1\r\n\t{size:8.5in 11.0in;\r\n\tmargin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;\r\n\tmso-header-margin:.5in;\r\n\tmso-footer-margin:.5in;\r\n\tmso-paper-source:0;}\r\ndiv.Section1\r\n\t{page:Section1;}\r\n--\u003e\r\n\u003c/style\u003e\r\n\u003c!--[if gte mso 10]\u003e\r\n\u003cstyle\u003e\r\n /* Style Definitions */\r\n table.MsoNormalTable\r\n\t{mso-style-name:\"Table Normal\";\r\n\tmso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;\r\n\tmso-tstyle-colband-size:0;\r\n\tmso-style-noshow:yes;\r\n\tmso-style-parent:\"\";\r\n\tmso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;\r\n\tmso-para-margin:0in;\r\n\tmso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;\r\n\tmso-pagination:widow-orphan;\r\n\tfont-size:10.0pt;\r\n\tfont-family:\"Times New Roman\";\r\n\tmso-ansi-language:#0400;\r\n\tmso-fareast-language:#0400;\r\n\tmso-bidi-language:#0400;}\r\n\u003c/style\u003e\r\n\u003c![endif]--\u003e\r\n\u003c/head\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cbody lang=EN-US style=\u0027tab-interval:.5in;text-justify-trim:punctuation\u0027\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cdiv class=Section1\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=MsoNormal align=center style=\u0027margin-bottom:8.0pt;text-align:center;\r\nmso-pagination:none;page-break-after:avoid;mso-layout-grid-align:none;\r\ntext-autospace:none\u0027\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027letter-spacing:.2pt\u0027\u003eRIGHTS OF DIVORCED\r\nWOMEN: \u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=MsoNormal align=center style=\u0027margin-bottom:8.0pt;text-align:center;\r\nmso-pagination:none;page-break-after:avoid;mso-layout-grid-align:none;\r\ntext-autospace:none\u0027\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027letter-spacing:.2pt\u0027\u003eALIMONY IN PAKISTAN\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=MsoNormal align=center style=\u0027margin-bottom:8.0pt;text-align:center;\r\nmso-pagination:none;page-break-after:avoid;mso-layout-grid-align:none;\r\ntext-autospace:none\u0027\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027letter-spacing:.2pt\u0027\u003eBy\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=MsoNormal align=center style=\u0027margin-bottom:8.0pt;text-align:center;\r\nmso-pagination:none;page-break-after:avoid;mso-layout-grid-align:none;\r\ntext-autospace:none\u0027\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027letter-spacing:.2pt\u0027\u003eAaima Asad,\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=MsoNormal align=center style=\u0027margin-bottom:8.0pt;text-align:center;\r\nmso-pagination:none;page-break-after:avoid;mso-layout-grid-align:none;\r\ntext-autospace:none\u0027\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027letter-spacing:.2pt\u0027\u003eAdvocate High Court,\r\nLahore\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=MsoNormal style=\u0027margin-bottom:8.0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:\r\n.2in;mso-pagination:none;page-break-after:avoid;tab-stops:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:\r\nnone;text-autospace:none\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027letter-spacing:.2pt\u0027\u003e\u003cspan\r\nstyle=\u0027mso-tab-count:1\u0027\u003e       \u003c/span\u003eAttaining equity between men and women\r\nand eliminating all forms of discrimination and violence (Physical, Sexual,\r\nPsychological and Economic) against women has been recognized as one of the\r\ngoals within Pakistan\u003csup\u003e1\u003c/sup\u003e. Often, these different forms of abuse are\r\nnot mutually exclusive and multiple incidences of violence can be perpetuated\r\nsimultaneously, reinforcing each other. It is vital to acknowledge at the very\r\noutset that structural and institutional violence, which manifests as the\r\nexclusion or subordination of women in economic, social and political life,\r\nexplains the prevalence of continued violence against women within Pakistan.\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=MsoNormal style=\u0027margin-bottom:8.0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:\r\n.2in;mso-pagination:none;page-break-after:avoid;tab-stops:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:\r\nnone;text-autospace:none\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027letter-spacing:.2pt\u0027\u003e\u003cspan\r\nstyle=\u0027mso-tab-count:1\u0027\u003e       \u003c/span\u003eEvery year there are countless meetings,\r\nseminars, conferences etc. in Pakistan where these issues are hotly debated and\r\ndiscussed and it is reaffirmed and posited that women must be given equal\r\nopportunities in all spheres of life. Furthermore, it is often fiercely\r\nadvocated that liberation and emancipation of women from the socially\r\nrestrictive dogmas of the Pakistani society are imperative for the country\u0027s\r\nprogress and growth. Women\u0027s economic empowerment is vital because it is a\r\npowerful vehicle for achieving rights; it facilitates poverty reduction as\r\nwomen contribute more to their families, society and the national economy.\r\nNonetheless, the voice and presence of women is glaringly absent in the\r\nadministration of the affairs of the Pakistani State and society.\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=MsoNormal style=\u0027margin-bottom:8.0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:\r\n.2in;mso-pagination:none;page-break-after:avoid;tab-stops:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:\r\nnone;text-autospace:none\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027letter-spacing:.2pt\u0027\u003e\u003cspan\r\nstyle=\u0027mso-tab-count:1\u0027\u003e       \u003c/span\u003eCurrently Pakistan has a total population\r\nof 220,892,340, based on the latest United Nations data\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e. The\r\ncurrent female population amounts to 49.2%\u003csup\u003e3\u003c/sup\u003e of the total population.\r\nPakistan fares very poorly on global gender indices, especially regarding\r\nwomen\u0027s economic participation and educational attainment with only 34.18% of\r\nfemales receiving secondary education\u003csup\u003e4\u003c/sup\u003e. Pakistan\u0027s economy presents\r\nan alarming situation where women\u0027s labour force participation is merely 21.9%\u003csup\u003e5\u003c/sup\u003e.\r\nFinancial stability is an imperative step towards women empowerment. However,\r\nlimited access to education and subsequently, finding safe and well-paying jobs\r\nare sparse for women in Pakistan.\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=MsoNormal style=\u0027margin-bottom:8.0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:\r\n.2in;mso-pagination:none;page-break-after:avoid;tab-stops:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:\r\nnone;text-autospace:none\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027letter-spacing:.2pt\u0027\u003e\u003cspan\r\nstyle=\u0027mso-tab-count:1\u0027\u003e       \u003c/span\u003eThe focus of the average Pakistani\r\nhousehold is to groom their daughters for marriage rather than focus on their\r\neducation and allow them to become independent in their own right. As per the\r\nfigures published by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, 63.04% of the\r\npopulation of Pakistan is married\u003csup\u003e6\u003c/sup\u003e. The UNICEF reports indicate that\r\n21% of girls in Pakistan are married before they are 18 years old and 3% are\r\nmarried before the age of 15\u003csup\u003e7\u003c/sup\u003e. According to UNICEF, Pakistan has the\r\nsixth highest number of child brides in the world. Therefore, in most\r\ncircumstances; women go from being the responsibility of their father to\r\nbecoming the responsibility of their husband. At no point during this period\r\nare these women financially independent since they are taught, and internalize,\r\nthat their domain and responsibility lies within the confines of their house;\r\nwithin the private sphere. Similarly, men are taught that they are responsible\r\nfor providing for their families; the husband\u0027s parents, wife and children, and\r\nthat the public sphere is their domain. This stark dichotomy that is ingrained\r\ninto children (men and women alike) shape their mindsets and their perception\r\nof the world. While men may spend large portions of their time pursuing higher\r\nstudies or working long hours to get the required promotion at work, their\r\nwives are toiling around the clock making sure that the house, the children and\r\nher in-laws are well looked after often at the expense of her dreams and\r\ndesires. This unpaid domestic labour may very well carry on for the rest of the\r\nwoman\u0027s life but it goes unseen and undocumented. Men who earn, often buy\r\nexpensive movable and immovable property in their own names and while the wife\r\nis living with the husband he supports and maintains her and she enjoys the use\r\nof those amenities. Sometimes in Pakistan, women will live and die, never\r\nhaving owned a single rupee. According to a report published by the Punjab\r\nEconomic and Social Wellbeing Survey in 2018 only 6% of women had accounts in\r\nformal banking institutions and only 13% had access to credit.\u003csup\u003e8\u003c/sup\u003e\u0026quot;\r\nThis is the system that is currently dominant within Pakistan.\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=MsoNormal style=\u0027margin-bottom:8.0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:\r\n.2in;mso-pagination:none;page-break-after:avoid;tab-stops:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:\r\nnone;text-autospace:none\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027letter-spacing:.2pt\u0027\u003e\u003cspan\r\nstyle=\u0027mso-tab-count:1\u0027\u003e       \u003c/span\u003eIt has come to light that due to the lack\r\nof financial security and independence of the woman, she often becomes\r\nsubservient to her husband rather than maintaining her status as an equal\r\npartner in the marriage. This imbalance of power leads to the rise of many\r\nforms of abuse. The abuse has become so rampant that the United Nations has\r\nrecognized that, broadly speaking, three human rights principles must be\r\nembedded within the structure and framework of the institution called \u0027family\u0027:\r\nequality and non-discrimination, the right to live a life free of violence, and\r\nthe best interest of the child\u003csup\u003e9\u003c/sup\u003e, all three which are usually missing\r\nfrom majority of the toxic marital relationships that exist within Pakistan.\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=MsoNormal style=\u0027margin-bottom:8.0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:\r\n.2in;mso-pagination:none;page-break-after:avoid;tab-stops:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:\r\nnone;text-autospace:none\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027letter-spacing:.2pt\u0027\u003e\u003cspan\r\nstyle=\u0027mso-tab-count:1\u0027\u003e       \u003c/span\u003eDomestic violence against women is\r\nprevalent and manifests in various forms in Pakistan. According to the Human\r\nRights Commission of Pakistan, the percentage of women who encounter domestic\r\nabuse/violence ranges from about 70 - 90 percent. Bustamante-Gavino conducted a\r\nstudy on health professionals in Karachi and the result has shown that 97.5% of\r\nwomen faced verbal abuse from their husbands, whereas 97.0% from their in-laws.\r\nRegarding physical abuse, it was documented that 80.0% of women experienced\r\nbeatings by their husbands, whereas 57.5% from their in-laws\u003csup\u003e10\u003c/sup\u003e. The\r\nspectrum of abuse encapsulates all types of physical, psychological, and\r\nreproductive abuse. Such abuse can lead to women developing depression, fear,\r\nanxiety, low self-esteem, sexual dysfunction, eating problems,\r\nobsessive-compulsive disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder\u003csup\u003e11\u003c/sup\u003e.\r\nOther consequences include suicide attempts or even murder\u003csup\u003e12\u003c/sup\u003e.\r\nHowever, Andersson et al (2010) illuminates and highlights the fact that only\r\n0.2% cases of domestic abuse are reported\u003csup\u003e13\u003c/sup\u003e.\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=MsoNormal style=\u0027margin-bottom:8.0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:\r\n.2in;mso-pagination:none;page-break-after:avoid;tab-stops:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:\r\nnone;text-autospace:none\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027letter-spacing:.2pt\u0027\u003e\u003cspan\r\nstyle=\u0027mso-tab-count:1\u0027\u003e       \u003c/span\u003eWomen who transgress the narrowly defined\r\nboundaries of behavior by exercising their fundamental human rights as\r\nenshrined in the Constitution of Pakistan, 1973, are instantly and fiercely\r\nencountered by even more violence, family estrangement and stigmatization.\r\nSabira Khan, for example, who was married at the tender age of 16 to a man more\r\nthan twice her age, was shortly after her wedding in 1991 told by her husband\r\nthat she must never see her family again. When in December 1993 she tried to\r\nbreak this rule, she said that he and his mother poured kerosene over her and\r\nset her on fire. At the time she was three months pregnant. Despite 60 percent\r\nburns she survived, badly scarred. She has fought since then to bring charges\r\nagainst the perpetrators, so far in vain. The magistrate in Jhelum upheld her\r\nhusband\u0027s argument that Sabira was insane and had set herself on fire\u003csup\u003e14\u003c/sup\u003e.\r\nSabira is not an exception. Thousands of women in Pakistan face similar abuse\r\nat the hands of their husbands and in laws, primarily due to their weak\r\nfinancial standing and inability to leave and live independently. Majority of\r\npolice officers and especially the lower courts in Pakistan appear convinced\r\nthat any interference in the patriarchal structure in Pakistan will disrupt\r\nsociety. They, subsequently guard against any disruption or upheaval. This\r\nattitude ignores that the existing structure of society perpetuates a\r\ndiscrimination based on gender which deprives one half of the population of\r\ntheir basic human rights.\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=MsoNormal style=\u0027margin-bottom:8.0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:\r\n.2in;mso-pagination:none;page-break-after:avoid;tab-stops:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:\r\nnone;text-autospace:none\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027letter-spacing:.2pt\u0027\u003e\u003cspan\r\nstyle=\u0027mso-tab-count:1\u0027\u003e       \u003c/span\u003eIn order to avoid the aforementioned\r\nincrease in their suffering, many women stay in abusive marriages. However,\r\neven the silent subordination of women is at times not enough for abusive\r\npartners who wish to divorce their wives, often over trivial matters. Since our\r\nsocietal structures encourage women to restrict their role and confine their\r\nactivities to the house, termination of financial support from the spouse upon\r\nthe breakdown of marriage leaves women from all stratum of society in an\r\nextremely vulnerable position. This, coupled with a lack of State support for\r\nsingle women in the form of long-term government housing or unemployment\r\nbenefits for financially dependent women, exacerbates the vulnerability of\r\nwomen leaving abusive marriages.\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=MsoNormal style=\u0027margin-bottom:8.0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:\r\n.2in;mso-pagination:none;page-break-after:avoid;tab-stops:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:\r\nnone;text-autospace:none\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027letter-spacing:.2pt\u0027\u003e\u003cspan\r\nstyle=\u0027mso-tab-count:1\u0027\u003e       \u003c/span\u003eA Muslim male in Pakistan, and more\r\ngenerally under Islamic law, has the legal right to terminate the marriage\r\ncontract (unilaterally) by using any of these three different methods; that is,\r\n\u003ci\u003etalaq-i-ahsan, talaq-i-hassan\u003c/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003etalaq-i-bidat\u003c/i\u003e\u003csup\u003e15\u003c/sup\u003e.\r\nSome Muslim scholars have deviated from the express teachings of the Sunnah by\r\nfavoring the al-bida form of divorce\u003csup\u003e16\u003c/sup\u003e, which has consequently\r\nallowed Muslim men to get rid of their unwanted wives instantly. By patronizing\r\nthe al-bida form of divorce, the Muslim scholars have, on the one hand, made it\r\neasy for men to throw out their wives at their pleasure. On the other hand,\r\nthey have left the divorced women indigent and penurious. This appears to be a\r\nviolation of Quranic pronouncements which strictly advocates for kindness and\r\nfairness in all dealing pertaining to every facet of life. Unfortunately, the\r\nsame teachings are not practiced in this domain.\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=MsoNormal style=\u0027margin-bottom:8.0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:\r\n.2in;mso-pagination:none;page-break-after:avoid;tab-stops:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:\r\nnone;text-autospace:none\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027letter-spacing:.2pt\u0027\u003e\u003cspan\r\nstyle=\u0027mso-tab-count:1\u0027\u003e       \u003c/span\u003eIn Pakistan, especially with regards to\r\nMuslim marriages, the marriage contract, known as the \u003ci\u003enikkah-nama\u003c/i\u003e, has\r\nbeen uniquely understood in contractual terms\u003csup\u003e17\u003c/sup\u003e. The \u003ci\u003enikkah-nama\u003c/i\u003e\r\nis prescribed under the rules framed vide The Muslim Family Laws Ordinance\r\n(MFLO), 1961. Within the aforestated \u003ci\u003enikkah-nama\u003c/i\u003e there is a clause for\r\ndower - also known as the \u003ci\u003eHaq Mehr\u003c/i\u003e - which the husband is obligated\r\nunder the law to give to his wife at the time of signing the contract (although\r\nthere may be deferred payment depending on the circumstances) in order for the\r\ncontract to be validly created\u003csup\u003e18\u003c/sup\u003e. The concept of dower (prompt or\r\ndeferred) is envisioned as a form of financial protection in case the divorce\r\nis pronounced by the man\u003csup\u003e19\u003c/sup\u003e. However, practically speaking the amount\r\nis often nominal and fails to serve the purpose of providing the woman with a\r\nfinancial safety net after the divorce is finalized. In Pakistan, the bridal\r\ngifts given to the wife as dowry/\u003ci\u003ejahaiz\u003c/i\u003e are the exclusive property of\r\nthe wife during or after the marriage\u003csup\u003e20\u003c/sup\u003e. Upon dissolution of\r\nmarriage the wife is entitled under the law to claim deferred dower\u003csup\u003e21\u003c/sup\u003e\r\nand maintenance during the period of \u003ci\u003eiddat\u003c/i\u003e which roughly lasts for three\r\nlunar cycles. However, practically speaking since women do not keep receipts of\r\nthe gifts and items\u0027 they bring with them, return of the same is also not\r\nprompt, thus, once again leaving the woman in a financially vulnerable position\r\nwhere her ability to recover from the loss of income is not cushioned in any\r\nmanner. In certain situations, the woman\u0027s family, her father or brother has to\r\ninitiate and follow through with long drawn-out litigation in order to recover\r\nthese items, which once again places the woman under more financial strain post-divorce.\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=MsoNormal style=\u0027margin-bottom:8.0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:\r\n.2in;mso-pagination:none;page-break-after:avoid;tab-stops:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:\r\nnone;text-autospace:none\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027letter-spacing:.2pt\u0027\u003e\u003cspan\r\nstyle=\u0027mso-tab-count:1\u0027\u003e       \u003c/span\u003eFor clarity, it should be highlighted\r\nthat there is a difference between \u003ci\u003eHaq Mehr\u003c/i\u003e, maintenance of the wife\r\nduring marriage, maintenance of the wife during \u003ci\u003eiddah\u003c/i\u003e\u003csup\u003e22\u003c/sup\u003e,\r\nchild support and maintenance post-divorce/alimony. At the time of marriage,\r\nthe man is obligated to give his wife \u003ci\u003eHaq Mehr\u003c/i\u003e. Subsequently, the\r\nhusband is under a duty to give the wife a certain sum of money (this\r\nstipulation may or may not be a part of the original \u003ci\u003enikkah-nama\u003c/i\u003e) during\r\nthe time the two are married for her personal expenses and to run the household\r\nin general. If the marriage breaks down and the man divorces the woman, he is\r\nstill required to pay the wife the same amount of money that he was giving her\r\nwhile they were married, for three lunar cycles\u003csup\u003e23\u003c/sup\u003e while she is in \u003ci\u003eiddah\u003c/i\u003e,\r\nuntil the divorce is finalized. Furthermore, it is obligatory upon the\r\nex-husband, after divorce, to provide for the expenses of his children. This is\r\nestimated according to what suffices their needs including, food, drink,\r\nresidence, education and anything necessary for their life. This is determined\r\naccording to the father\u0027s financial ability\u003csup\u003e24\u003c/sup\u003e. However, under\r\nPakistani law there is no concept of post-divorce maintenance for the woman.\r\nDivorced women are once again financially dependent on her fathers, brothers or\r\nuncles since they are mostly uneducated and cannot sustain themselves or their\r\nchildren independently. If refused accommodation by her family post-divorce;\r\nthe average Pakistani woman becomes homeless and destitute. In these\r\ncircumstances the State should ensure that such women are protected, even\r\nthough currently, no such law is in existence.\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=MsoNormal style=\u0027margin-bottom:8.0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:\r\n.2in;mso-pagination:none;page-break-after:avoid;tab-stops:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:\r\nnone;text-autospace:none\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027letter-spacing:.2pt\u0027\u003e\u003cspan\r\nstyle=\u0027mso-tab-count:1\u0027\u003e       \u003c/span\u003eWithin the Constitution of Pakistan,\r\n1973, Article 2 stipulates that Islam shall be the State religion of Pakistan.\r\nGenerally, under traditional Islamic law, post-divorce maintenance was held to\r\nbe unjustified because it was seen as an \u0026quot;additional\u0026quot; benefit to the\r\nwife. It was argued that the wife had \u0026quot;exhausted her share\u0026quot; during\r\nthe marriage by being fed, clothed and sheltered by her husband. Therefore, while\r\nmaintenance of the wife was permissible during the three-month religiously\r\nimposed waiting period (\u0026quot;\u003ci\u003eiddat-al-talaq\u003c/i\u003e\u0026quot;) it was not\r\nobligatory afterwards. Nonetheless, several\u003cspan style=\u0027mso-spacerun:yes\u0027\u003e \r\n\u003c/span\u003epre-eminent\u003cspan style=\u0027mso-spacerun:yes\u0027\u003e  \u003c/span\u003eIslamic scholars have\r\nwritten in support of providing women\u003cspan style=\u0027mso-spacerun:yes\u0027\u003e  \u003c/span\u003ewith\r\nmaintenance post-divorce, despite the existence of current traditions\u003cspan\r\nstyle=\u0027mso-spacerun:yes\u0027\u003e  \u003c/span\u003enot to do so. They\u003cspan\r\nstyle=\u0027mso-spacerun:yes\u0027\u003e  \u003c/span\u003eassert that post-divorce maintenance is not\r\nonly acceptable,\u003cspan style=\u0027mso-spacerun:yes\u0027\u003e  \u003c/span\u003ebut required under\r\nIslam. The support in favour of post-divorce maintenance for a divorced wife\r\nafter the expiry of iddat, is based upon using the concept of Mut\u0027ah by some\r\ninterpreters, relying on the Qur\u0027anic verses 236, 240, 241 in Chapter II and\r\nverse 49 in Chapter 33. Verse 236 refers to the husband making a suitable gift\r\naccording to his means to the wife at the time of divorce. Verse 240 deals with\r\nthe provision of maintenance for widows, and requires Muslim men to make a\r\nbequest for one year\u0027s maintenance and residence for the wife after their death\u003csup\u003e25\u003c/sup\u003e.\r\nWhereas Verse 49 states that if a marriage ends before consummation, men should\r\nmake provision for women and release them in an honorable manner\u003csup\u003e26\u003c/sup\u003e.\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=MsoNormal style=\u0027margin-bottom:8.0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:\r\n.2in;mso-pagination:none;page-break-after:avoid;tab-stops:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:\r\nnone;text-autospace:none\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027letter-spacing:.2pt\u0027\u003e\u003cspan\r\nstyle=\u0027mso-tab-count:1\u0027\u003e       \u003c/span\u003eIn\u003cspan style=\u0027mso-spacerun:yes\u0027\u003e \r\n\u003c/span\u003elight\u003cspan style=\u0027mso-spacerun:yes\u0027\u003e  \u003c/span\u003eof\u003cspan\r\nstyle=\u0027mso-spacerun:yes\u0027\u003e  \u003c/span\u003ethe\u003cspan style=\u0027mso-spacerun:yes\u0027\u003e \r\n\u003c/span\u003eparagraph\u003cspan style=\u0027mso-spacerun:yes\u0027\u003e  \u003c/span\u003eabove,\u003cspan\r\nstyle=\u0027mso-spacerun:yes\u0027\u003e  \u003c/span\u003ethe\u003cspan style=\u0027mso-spacerun:yes\u0027\u003e \r\n\u003c/span\u003eterm\u003cspan style=\u0027mso-spacerun:yes\u0027\u003e  \u003c/span\u003eMut\u0027ah\u003cspan\r\nstyle=\u0027mso-spacerun:yes\u0027\u003e  \u003c/span\u003erequires\u003cspan style=\u0027mso-spacerun:yes\u0027\u003e \r\n\u003c/span\u003esome clarification. Various renowned Islamic scholars have shed light on\r\nthis matter. Ibn-Kathir\u003cspan style=\u0027mso-spacerun:yes\u0027\u003e  \u003c/span\u003edefines\u003cspan\r\nstyle=\u0027mso-spacerun:yes\u0027\u003e  \u003c/span\u003eMut\u0027ah\u003cspan style=\u0027mso-spacerun:yes\u0027\u003e \r\n\u003c/span\u003eas\u003cspan style=\u0027mso-spacerun:yes\u0027\u003e  \u003c/span\u003ecompensation\u003cspan\r\nstyle=\u0027mso-spacerun:yes\u0027\u003e  \u003c/span\u003eto\u003cspan style=\u0027mso-spacerun:yes\u0027\u003e \r\n\u003c/span\u003ethe\u003cspan style=\u0027mso-spacerun:yes\u0027\u003e  \u003c/span\u003ewife\u003cspan\r\nstyle=\u0027mso-spacerun:yes\u0027\u003e  \u003c/span\u003eresulting from the loss of divorce\u003csup\u003e27\u003c/sup\u003e.\r\nImam Abu\u003cspan style=\u0027mso-spacerun:yes\u0027\u003e  \u003c/span\u003eJafar\u003cspan\r\nstyle=\u0027mso-spacerun:yes\u0027\u003e  \u003c/span\u003eMuhammad\u003cspan style=\u0027mso-spacerun:yes\u0027\u003e \r\n\u003c/span\u003eibn\u003cspan style=\u0027mso-spacerun:yes\u0027\u003e  \u003c/span\u003eJarir al Tabari believes that\r\nMut\u0027ah is a strict duty of the husband being ordained by Allah\u003csup\u003e28\u003c/sup\u003e.\u003cspan\r\nstyle=\u0027mso-spacerun:yes\u0027\u003e  \u003c/span\u003eSimilarly,\u003cspan style=\u0027mso-spacerun:yes\u0027\u003e \r\n\u003c/span\u003eMohammad\u003cspan style=\u0027mso-spacerun:yes\u0027\u003e  \u003c/span\u003eIbn \u003cspan\r\nstyle=\u0027mso-spacerun:yes\u0027\u003e \u003c/span\u003eAhmad\u003cspan style=\u0027mso-spacerun:yes\u0027\u003e \r\n\u003c/span\u003eal-Ansari\u003cspan style=\u0027mso-spacerun:yes\u0027\u003e  \u003c/span\u003eal-Qurtubi\u003cspan\r\nstyle=\u0027mso-spacerun:yes\u0027\u003e  \u003c/span\u003ein\u003cspan style=\u0027mso-spacerun:yes\u0027\u003e \r\n\u003c/span\u003eline with the perspective and understanding posited by Imam Tabari\r\nelucidates and expounds upon the fact that Mut\u0027ah is a binding duty on all\r\nMuslims\u003csup\u003e29\u003c/sup\u003e.\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=MsoNormal style=\u0027margin-bottom:8.0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:\r\n.2in;mso-pagination:none;page-break-after:avoid;tab-stops:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:\r\nnone;text-autospace:none\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027letter-spacing:.2pt\u0027\u003e\u003cspan\r\nstyle=\u0027mso-tab-count:1\u0027\u003e       \u003c/span\u003eDr. Muhammad Adam El Sheikh, a former\r\nshari\u0027ah judge in Sudan and resident imam in one of the United States\u0027 largest\r\nIslamic centers, is another vocal advocate of reforming this area of law.\r\nCiting Islamic legal sources, coupled with highlighting facts of the grave\r\ninjustices he saw perpetrated against divorced Muslim women, he argues that\r\nthere are Qur\u0027anic justifications for awarding post-divorce maintenance. Dr. El\r\nSheikh argues that \u003ci\u003emut\u0027at-al-talaq\u003c/i\u003e is one of the rights\r\n\u0026quot;fixed\u0026quot; in Islamic law for women, in addition to dowry, maintenance\r\nduring the marriage, and inheritance upon the death of the husband. He quotes\r\ndirectly from Holy Qur\u0027an, citing the verse which states:\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=MsoNormal style=\u0027margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:4.0pt;\r\nmargin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;text-indent:-.3in;mso-pagination:none;\r\npage-break-after:avoid;tab-stops:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:\r\nnone\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027letter-spacing:.2pt\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027mso-tab-count:1\u0027\u003e       \u003c/span\u003e\u0026quot;There\r\nis no blame if you divorce women before the marriage is consummated or the\r\ndowry is settled. But give them a \u0027suitable\u0027 compensation --- the rich\r\naccording to his means and the poor according to his - this is a duty for those\r\nwho do good.\u0026quot;\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=MsoNormal style=\u0027margin-bottom:8.0pt;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:\r\nnone;page-break-after:avoid;tab-stops:right 315.35pt;mso-layout-grid-align:\r\nnone;text-autospace:none\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027letter-spacing:.2pt\u0027\u003e\u003cspan\r\nstyle=\u0027mso-tab-count:1\u0027\u003e                                                                            \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\r\nstyle=\u0027mso-spacerun:yes\u0027\u003e \u003c/span\u003e[Al-Baqarah, 236]\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=MsoNormal style=\u0027margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:4.0pt;\r\nmargin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;text-indent:-.3in;mso-pagination:none;\r\npage-break-after:avoid;tab-stops:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:\r\nnone\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027letter-spacing:.2pt\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027mso-tab-count:1\u0027\u003e       \u003c/span\u003e\u0026quot;Divorced\r\nwomen shall also have such maintenance as is considered fair: this is a duty\r\nfor those who are mindful of God.\u0026quot;\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=MsoNormal style=\u0027margin-bottom:8.0pt;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:\r\nnone;page-break-after:avoid;tab-stops:right 315.35pt;mso-layout-grid-align:\r\nnone;text-autospace:none\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027letter-spacing:.2pt\u0027\u003e\u003cspan\r\nstyle=\u0027mso-tab-count:1\u0027\u003e                                                                             \u003c/span\u003e[Al-Baqarah,\r\n241]\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=MsoNormal style=\u0027margin-bottom:8.0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:\r\n.2in;mso-pagination:none;page-break-after:avoid;tab-stops:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:\r\nnone;text-autospace:none\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027letter-spacing:.2pt\u0027\u003e\u003cspan\r\nstyle=\u0027mso-tab-count:1\u0027\u003e       \u003c/span\u003eVerse 241 does not set any time limit for\r\nmaintenance to divorced women, nor does it lay a specific limit to the amount\r\nof Mut\u0027ah, mentioning \u0027reasonable maintenance\u0027 only. In other words, the\r\nQur\u0027anic legislation lays down a minimum requirement, and nowhere in the Qur\u0027an\r\nis there a prohibition on providing more than the minimum. Thus, Mut\u0027ah is to\r\nbe given to the wife with kindness and humility.\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=MsoNormal style=\u0027margin-bottom:8.0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:\r\n.2in;mso-pagination:none;page-break-after:avoid;tab-stops:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:\r\nnone;text-autospace:none\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027letter-spacing:.2pt\u0027\u003e\u003cspan\r\nstyle=\u0027mso-tab-count:1\u0027\u003e       \u003c/span\u003eIn addition to the aforementioned,\r\nRafiullah Sahab\u0027s analysis of historical events concludes that when a wife was\r\ndivorced, even her servants were provided for and the cost was borne by the\r\nex-husband. Rafiullah Sahab thus argues that if a servant of the divorced wife\r\nwas provided for, the ex-wife must have been provided with maintenance herself\r\nand requests the Uluma to study the issue in this light, in a manner that is\r\nunbiased and not heavily skewed in favor of men alone\u003csup\u003e30\u003c/sup\u003e. Dr.\r\nSibayee, another scholar of the modern days, suggests that compensation in the\r\nform of Mut\u0027ah needs to be paid to the divorced wife till she remarries and if\r\nshe is not of marriageable age, for the rest of her life, to allow her to live\r\nan honorable life\u003csup\u003e31\u003c/sup\u003e.\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=MsoNormal style=\u0027margin-bottom:8.0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:\r\n.2in;mso-pagination:none;page-break-after:avoid;tab-stops:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:\r\nnone;text-autospace:none\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027letter-spacing:.2pt\u0027\u003e\u003cspan\r\nstyle=\u0027mso-tab-count:1\u0027\u003e       \u003c/span\u003eTherefore, it can clearly be discerned\r\nthat Islam does not forbid financial protection for women in marriage and upon\r\ndivorce. In fact, the Quran contains multiple provisions for the financial\r\nsupport of women post-divorce. The doctrine of Mut\u0027ah clearly refers to an\r\naward of maintenance to the divorced wife for life or, till she remarries,\r\npiecemeal or in a one-time transaction. Some religious interpreters, along with\r\nthe majority of Muslim men, have undertaken abiding by the literal wording of\r\nthe verse to address only \u0026quot;the righteous\u0026quot; and claim that it does not\r\napply to \u0026quot;regular Muslim men\u0026quot;. Therefore, they have subsequently\r\nclaimed that it is optional and not mandatory for Muslim men to pay Mut\u0027ah to\r\ntheir divorced wives. However, many influential authorities and Islamic\r\nscholars have ruled otherwise. Imam at-Tabari, for instance, has stated that:\r\n\u0026quot;God almighty revealed [the verse] to His subjects as a proof that every\r\ndivorcee is entitled to mut\u0027ah\u003csup\u003e32\u003c/sup\u003e.\u0026quot;\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=MsoNormal style=\u0027margin-bottom:8.0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:\r\n.2in;mso-pagination:none;page-break-after:avoid;tab-stops:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:\r\nnone;text-autospace:none\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027letter-spacing:.2pt\u0027\u003e\u003cspan\r\nstyle=\u0027mso-tab-count:1\u0027\u003e       \u003c/span\u003eCertain Muslim scholars have even offered\r\na more expansive perspective on the matter. Ibn Hazm al Andalussi, in his\r\nMuhalla bi al-Athaar, stated that: \u0026quot;\u003ci\u003eMut\u0027ah\u003c/i\u003e is a duty upon every man\r\ndivorcing (his wife) ... whether he consummated the marriage or not, whether he\r\nagreed on a set \u003ci\u003eMahr\u003c/i\u003e or not ... and the ruler must force (the husband)\r\nto pay it whether he likes it or not ... \u003ci\u003eMut\u0027ah\u003c/i\u003e is not nullified in the\r\nevent of the husband revoking the divorce before the end of the waiting period,\r\n\u0027iddah, nor is it nullified by the husband\u0027s death or the wife\u0027s death. It\r\nstill goes to her or her heirs and is taken from his capital.\u003csup\u003e33\u003c/sup\u003e\r\n\u0026quot; Except for the deferred Mahr and the Mut\u0027ah, there is very little in\r\nIslamic jurisprudence on the subject of assessment of post-divorce financial\r\nsupport and almost nothing on marital property settlement between the\r\n(divorced) husband and his former wife.\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=MsoNormal style=\u0027margin-bottom:8.0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:\r\n.2in;mso-pagination:none;page-break-after:avoid;tab-stops:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:\r\nnone;text-autospace:none\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027letter-spacing:.2pt\u0027\u003e\u003cspan\r\nstyle=\u0027mso-tab-count:1\u0027\u003e       \u003c/span\u003ePractically speaking, therefore, when a divorce\r\noccurs, except for the deferred Mahr and a symbolic Mut\u0027ah set by the judge,\r\nwomen often find themselves outside the marital home, with no income or\r\nresources, forced to start over. Their hard work during the marriage goes\r\nun-rewarded. The husband, on the other hand, solely benefits from the wealth\r\naccumulated during the marriage, especially since in an overwhelming majority\r\nof cases, all the property is acquired in the husbands\u0027 name. During divorce\r\nproceedings, since emotions take precedence over logical thinking, usually by\r\nboth parties, this leads to a skewed division of marital assets. The right of\r\nthe woman to those assets is immediately forsaken, especially if those women\r\nwere not permitted to take part in financial decision making during the marriage,\r\nand therefore, were ignorant of their joint assets and their share in them.\r\nWithin Islamic law however, the right of Kadd and Si\u0027ayah addresses this\r\ninjustice. The concept draws its foundations from the Qur\u0027anic principles of\r\njustice, equity and fairness.\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=MsoNormal style=\u0027margin-bottom:8.0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:\r\n.2in;mso-pagination:none;page-break-after:avoid;tab-stops:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:\r\nnone;text-autospace:none\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027letter-spacing:.2pt\u0027\u003e\u003cspan\r\nstyle=\u0027mso-tab-count:1\u0027\u003e       \u003c/span\u003eThe right of Kadd and Si\u0027ayah\u003csup\u003e34\u003c/sup\u003e\r\n- one\u0027s right to the fruit of their striving, hard work, and contribution to\r\naccumulating the family wealth has prominence and pre-eminence within Islamic\r\njurisprudence and tradition. For example, Imam al - \u0027Abbassi, a southern\r\nscholar and mufti, issued a fatwa stating: \u0026quot;it is customary among the\r\njurists of Masmouda and Jezoula tribes (two southern Moroccan tribes) that the\r\nwife is a partner to her husband in the wealth they accumulate through their\r\nwork and efforts during the time they spend together and cooperate. The husband\r\nshould not monopolize the wealth by registering it in his name. His wife is his\r\npartner through her efforts and partnership, and if he divorces her, she has an\r\nequal share in it.\u003csup\u003e35\u003c/sup\u003e \u0026quot; Many legal rulings in the Moroccan\r\nfamily courts have enforced this principle.\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=MsoNormal style=\u0027margin-bottom:8.0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:\r\n.2in;mso-pagination:none;page-break-after:avoid;tab-stops:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:\r\nnone;text-autospace:none\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027letter-spacing:.2pt\u0027\u003e\u003cspan\r\nstyle=\u0027mso-tab-count:1\u0027\u003e       \u003c/span\u003eIn various other Muslim countries as\r\nwell, similar rights are awarded to divorced Muslim women. For instance, under\r\nthe Tunisian\u003csup\u003e36\u003c/sup\u003e and Malaysian\u003csup\u003e37\u003c/sup\u003e family laws, the law\r\nprovides for a woman\u0027s right to ownership of property acquired during their\r\nmarriage\u003csup\u003e38\u003c/sup\u003e. Similarly, in Turkey the government has created detailed\r\nlegislation for recording a woman\u0027s contribution to family business and\r\nproperty acquired during marriage. In case of divorce, this record helps assign\r\nthe respective share to the man and woman equitably. In Egypt, a wife who after\r\nconsummation of her valid marriage is divorced by the husband without her\r\nconsent and without any fault on her part is entitled, in addition to maintenance\r\nof iddat, to Mut\u0027ah equivalent to at least two years maintenance\u003csup\u003e39\u003c/sup\u003e.\r\nIn Qatar, post-divorce maintenance can be awarded to women for 3 years\u003csup\u003e40\u003c/sup\u003e.\r\nIn Iran, the husband is bound to pay to the wife, post-divorce maintenance\r\n(Mut\u0027ah) for 3 years if she is not at fault and is not responsible for divorce\u003csup\u003e41\u003c/sup\u003e.\r\nIt is therefore, argued that Pakistan can also make the provisions of\r\npost-divorce maintenance (Mut\u0027ah) for the divorced Muslim woman. Pragmatic\r\nsteps must be taken immediately to insert similar provisions to protect\r\ndivorced women within Pakistan. The Muslim Family Laws Ordinance, 1961 should\r\nbe amended or a separate comprehensive legislation should be enacted on this\r\nissue. The Parliament and Judiciary in Pakistan can contribute to upholding\r\nequality and justice within society; they can refuse to abrogate the Muslim\r\npersonal laws and can play a proactive role to provide legal protection to\r\ndivorced Muslim women and rejuvenate their socio-economic conditions in the\r\nfuture.\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=MsoNormal style=\u0027margin-bottom:8.0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:\r\n.2in;mso-pagination:none;page-break-after:avoid;tab-stops:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:\r\nnone;text-autospace:none\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027letter-spacing:.2pt\u0027\u003e\u003cspan\r\nstyle=\u0027mso-tab-count:1\u0027\u003e       \u003c/span\u003eTo date, Pakistan has egregiously ignored\r\nthis glaring issue and has refused to create a legal framework to provide women\r\nwith protection; specifically, financial protection and support. Such\r\nprotection is paramount and must be provided by the State, especially in a\r\ncountry like Pakistan where the female literacy rate is abysmal and prevailing\r\ntraditions and customs make it exceptionally difficult for the average woman to\r\nearn a decent livelihood for herself. Although the Constitution of Pakistan,\r\n1973, provides for equality of all citizens and numerous legislations has been\r\nenacted to protect women\u0027s rights in general, in practice this is not\r\nsystematically enforced because of deep-rooted social, cultural and economic\r\nbarriers and prejudices.\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=MsoNormal style=\u0027margin-bottom:8.0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:\r\n.2in;mso-pagination:none;page-break-after:avoid;tab-stops:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:\r\nnone;text-autospace:none\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027letter-spacing:.2pt\u0027\u003e\u003cspan\r\nstyle=\u0027mso-tab-count:1\u0027\u003e       \u003c/span\u003eThe provision of maintenance of women,\r\npost-divorce, is not a novel matter. In 1959 the judiciary of Pakistan dealt\r\nwith the issue of maintenance of ex-wives. In Sh. Azmatullah v. Mst. Imtiaz\r\nBegum\u003csup\u003e42\u003c/sup\u003e, the court held that the wife was only entitled to\r\nmaintenance until her iddat period expired. Even then, the court fixed a meagre\r\nsum of Rs. 30 per month, as maintenance for the iddat period which was an\r\ninsufficient amount to provide the woman with any real financial support\r\npost-divorce. Similarly, in the case of the State v. Muhammad Nabi Khan\u003csup\u003e43\u003c/sup\u003e,\r\nthe wife was granted maintenance at the rate of Rs. 30 per month up to her\r\niddat period. Thus, it is very clear that the judges deprived divorced Muslim\r\nwomen of their full entitlement to maintenance even during the iddat period. It\r\nis further highlighted that the judges, by ordering maintenance only for the\r\nlimited period of the woman\u0027s iddat, also deprived divorced Muslim women of\r\ntheir Quranic right of post-divorce maintenance (Mut\u0027ah). In light of the\r\nabove, it is manifestly evident that the judiciary of Pakistan has restricted\r\nthe provisions of maintenance up to iddat period based on a (mis)interpretation\r\nof Islamic law. The superior courts have, likewise, refrained from making any\r\nradical reforms to the existing provisions of post-divorce maintenance.\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=MsoNormal style=\u0027margin-bottom:8.0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:\r\n.2in;mso-pagination:none;page-break-after:avoid;tab-stops:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:\r\nnone;text-autospace:none\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027letter-spacing:.2pt\u0027\u003e\u003cspan\r\nstyle=\u0027mso-tab-count:1\u0027\u003e       \u003c/span\u003eIn 1956, the Commission on Muslim\r\nMarriage and Family Laws in Pakistan\u003csup\u003e44\u003c/sup\u003e took a very sympathetic view\r\nof Mut\u0027ah, observing that \u0026quot;a large number of middle-aged women who are\r\nbeing divorced without rhyme or reason should not be thrown on the street\r\nwithout any means of sustaining themselves and their children\u0026quot;\u003csup\u003e45\u003c/sup\u003e.\r\nUnfortunately, powerful male members of the same commission opposed this burden\r\non men, declaring that it would be against morality to provide for continued\r\nsupport of a now \u0026quot;\u003ci\u003ena-mahram\u003c/i\u003e\u0026quot; woman from her ex-husband\u003csup\u003e46\u003c/sup\u003e.\r\nThese members also termed it unfair to the new wife who would be denied her\r\nrightful share in the husband\u0027s earnings. The Law and Justice Commission of\r\nPakistan has twice proposed a draft law for mandatory maintenance beyond the\r\nperiod of \u003ci\u003eiddat\u003c/i\u003e and the Council of Islamic Ideology recommended\r\nenactment of a law on Mut\u0027ah in 2008\u003csup\u003e47\u003c/sup\u003e, but the Parliament has not\r\ntaken up the matter till now. The Report of the Women Rights Committee 1976 and\r\nPakistan Commission on the Status of Women 1983 recommended\u003csup\u003e48\u003c/sup\u003e that\r\nchanges should be made to the existing law on the issue of maintenance for\r\ndivorced Muslim women. The recommendations were made based on the commandments\r\nprovided within the Holy Quran. The Commission strongly advocates to provide\r\ndivorced women with sufficient maintenance during their post-divorce period\u003csup\u003e49\u003c/sup\u003e.\r\nHowever, this command of Allah as provided within the Holy Qur\u0027an has been\r\nabsolutely disregarded throughout the country and the government has also made\r\nno serious efforts to draft legislation and enact provisions for such\r\nmaintenance in this respect.\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=MsoNormal style=\u0027margin-bottom:8.0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:\r\n.2in;mso-pagination:none;page-break-after:avoid;tab-stops:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:\r\nnone;text-autospace:none\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027letter-spacing:.2pt\u0027\u003eThe question that\r\narises is that; if the Quran has made provisions for women and has extended an\r\ninalienable right pertaining to financial security post-divorce, and such\r\nrights were exercised during and after the death of the Prophet (P.B.U.H.), why\r\nare current traditions, customs and practices so different in nature and\r\ncontent? One possible reason for this divergence could be that Islamic law has\r\ndeveloped in a piecemeal manner over the years. Since there were no hard and\r\nfast statutory rules an ad hoc inquiry was undertaken by the early jurists to\r\nresolve such disputes. The stance taken by the early scholars were to construct\r\nfair and just decisions. Some academics have gone as far as to suggest that the\r\ncurrent interpretations in place have overlooked the general or necessary\r\nverses of the Holy Quran and accommodated patriarchal values to support male\r\ninterests. These scholars in the second and third centuries of the Islamic\r\ncalendar were heavily influenced by the socio-economic, political, and\r\nindigenous tribal values of the prevailing times, and therefore, frequently\r\nadopted a male-centric approach\u003csup\u003e50\u003c/sup\u003e. As a result, the original text\r\nwhich referred to providing reasonable maintenance was ignored and re-interpreted\r\nunder the patriarchal influences within different cultural and historical\r\ncontexts, particularly during the Umayyad and Abbasid Caliphates\u003csup\u003e51\u003c/sup\u003e.\r\nIt has even been suggested that to please the ruling elite, male jurists\r\nmisread the verse that extended this inalienable right to women.\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=MsoNormal style=\u0027margin-bottom:8.0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:\r\n.2in;mso-pagination:none;page-break-after:avoid;tab-stops:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:\r\nnone;text-autospace:none\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027letter-spacing:.2pt\u0027\u003e\u003cspan\r\nstyle=\u0027mso-tab-count:1\u0027\u003e       \u003c/span\u003eScholars from the Middle East have\r\nchallenged these narrow interpretations. Many learned scholars including Al\r\nTahir al Hadadd, Shaikh Rashid Rida (1981), Fakhral-Razy (1927), Al Tabari\r\n(1987), Mahmud Shaltut, and Mohammad al-Ghazali amongst others have advocated\r\nfor legal reform and stressed the importance of upholding the Quran in its true\r\ncontext and ensuring that justice is accrued to all parties involved\u003csup\u003e52\u003c/sup\u003e.\r\nThe Qur\u0027anic legislation lays down a minimum requirement, and nowhere in the\r\nQur\u0027an is there a prohibition on providing more than the minimum. Thus, it is\r\nargued that Mut\u0027ah is to be given to the wife with kindness and humility.\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=MsoNormal style=\u0027margin-bottom:6.0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:\r\n.2in;mso-pagination:none;page-break-after:avoid;tab-stops:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:\r\nnone;text-autospace:none\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027letter-spacing:.2pt\u0027\u003e\u003cspan\r\nstyle=\u0027mso-tab-count:1\u0027\u003e       \u003c/span\u003eMuhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of\r\nPakistan, believed in gender equality and saw women as an integral part of\r\nsociety. He encouraged women to play an active role and to participate in the\r\nbuilding of this nation\u003csup\u003e53\u003c/sup\u003e. However, unfortunately, once the new\r\nState of Pakistan came into existence, its resources came under the control of\r\ndeeply orthodox, patriarchal forces. This has ultimately led to the\r\nmarginalization of women. Their political rights and voices have been slowly\r\neroded. A lack of education and an absence from the seats of power governing\r\nthe administration of the country ensured that the new political structure\r\nwould reinforce patriarchy, gender inequalities and deny the rights of women.\r\nTherefore, while Muslim jurists and judges in Pakistan stress the\r\n\u0026quot;right\u0026quot; of a man to wed up to four wives, they conveniently skip over\r\nthe duties a husband owes to his wife. Similarly, these Muslim jurists have\r\ninterpreted the divorced woman\u0027s right of maintenance by deviating from the\r\nexpress teachings of the Holy Quran. Such interpretations have created problems\r\nfor Muslim women within Pakistan and handicapped them into a state of\r\ndestitution\u003csup\u003e54\u003c/sup\u003e. The heightened violence and intolerance within\r\nPakistan must be investigated and laws framed and implemented to curb the same.\r\nPakistan is in dire need of immediate civil and human rights reform. The government\r\nmust take immediate measures to ensure the safety of women in public and within\r\ntheir own homes.\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=MsoNormal style=\u0027margin-bottom:6.0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:\r\n.2in;mso-pagination:none;page-break-after:avoid;tab-stops:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:\r\nnone;text-autospace:none\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027letter-spacing:.2pt\u0027\u003e\u003cspan\r\nstyle=\u0027mso-tab-count:1\u0027\u003e       \u003c/span\u003eOverall, the aforementioned issues have\r\nhardened and become more complex in contemporary political and social contexts.\r\nThe disruption and reinvention of the home and the identity of women; their\r\nsense of belonging pivots on internal conflicts, exacerbated by their weak\r\nfinancial standing in society. A multipronged approach that affects all the\r\nmajor institutions in Pakistan is required. Comprehensive reforms would ensure\r\nthat women\u0027s rights will be implemented effectively and efficiently within the\r\nexisting societal framework. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that the\r\nMuslim Family Laws Ordinance, 1961 be amended and women be granted an automatic\r\nright to maintenance post-divorce. The reason for such a provision to be\r\nautomatic and not subject to the wife having to prove that the divorce was not\r\ncaused due any fault on her part is because this would lead to unnecessary and\r\nlong-drawn out litigation where the husband may fabricate accusations against\r\nhis former wife in order to absolve himself from paying the required sum. A\r\nplethora of cases highlight how men have tried to circumvent the law and\r\nattempt to delay or deny paying child support by using the lacunas that exist\r\nwithin the enacted legislation. Furthermore, if the husband does move the court\r\nto contend that the divorce has occurred due to the fault of the woman, or the\r\nwoman petitions the court to ask for enforcement of her post-divorce maintenance,\r\nthe divorcees who are financially in need should be entitled to court-ordered\r\ntemporary maintenance while their case is being reviewed. Such an order should\r\nbe issued by the court within two weeks of the start of the litigation process,\r\nand the amount of temporary maintenance dispensed to the divorcee should be\r\nlater deducted from the sum total of maintenance which is ordered by the court\r\nin its final judgment.\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=MsoNormal style=\u0027margin-bottom:8.0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:\r\n.2in;mso-pagination:none;page-break-after:avoid;tab-stops:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:\r\nnone;text-autospace:none\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027letter-spacing:.2pt\u0027\u003e\u003cspan\r\nstyle=\u0027mso-tab-count:1\u0027\u003e       \u003c/span\u003eAmending the current law to provide women\r\nwith post-divorce maintenance is a part of social welfare legislation. It is\r\nincumbent on the State to ensure effective and timely implementation of the\r\nsame. There must be expedient delivery of justice and strict timelines must be\r\ngiven to the court to decide such cases. Furthermore, the amount that is given\r\nmust be enough to sustain the wife and not be merely symbolic. The sum should\r\ntake into consideration the prosperity or poverty of the husband, the\r\ncircumstances of the divorce, and the duration of the marriage. It may be paid\r\nin installments but with humility and kindness as required by the verses\r\npromulgated in the Holy Quran. Not only will such reform benefit and empower\r\nthe woman, it may also discourage husbands from carrying out hasty divorce\r\npronouncements. This will in turn provide for a more stable and nurturing\r\nenvironment for the children as well.\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=MsoNormal style=\u0027margin-bottom:8.0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:\r\n.2in;mso-pagination:none;page-break-after:avoid;tab-stops:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:\r\nnone;text-autospace:none\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027letter-spacing:.2pt\u0027\u003e\u003cspan\r\nstyle=\u0027mso-tab-count:1\u0027\u003e       \u003c/span\u003eLow levels of education translates\u0027 into\r\nmajority of the citizens of Pakistan being unaware of their fundamental human\r\nrights. This is\u003cspan style=\u0027mso-spacerun:yes\u0027\u003e  \u003c/span\u003eone of the primary\r\nreasons why majority of the abuse in the private sphere goes unreported and why\r\nthe perpetrators of such abuse roam free.\u003cspan style=\u0027mso-spacerun:yes\u0027\u003e \r\n\u003c/span\u003eInstitutional\u003cspan style=\u0027mso-spacerun:yes\u0027\u003e  \u003c/span\u003ebarriers\u003cspan\r\nstyle=\u0027mso-spacerun:yes\u0027\u003e  \u003c/span\u003esuch as non-co-operation\u003cspan\r\nstyle=\u0027mso-spacerun:yes\u0027\u003e  \u003c/span\u003efrom\u003cspan style=\u0027mso-spacerun:yes\u0027\u003e \r\n\u003c/span\u003ethe\u003cspan style=\u0027mso-spacerun:yes\u0027\u003e  \u003c/span\u003epolice\u003cspan\r\nstyle=\u0027mso-spacerun:yes\u0027\u003e  \u003c/span\u003eand adverse judgments from the judiciary\r\ncoupled with societal\u003cspan style=\u0027mso-spacerun:yes\u0027\u003e  \u003c/span\u003erestraints\u003cspan\r\nstyle=\u0027mso-spacerun:yes\u0027\u003e  \u003c/span\u003ecumulates\u003cspan style=\u0027mso-spacerun:yes\u0027\u003e \r\n\u003c/span\u003eto\u003cspan style=\u0027mso-spacerun:yes\u0027\u003e  \u003c/span\u003ecreate\u003cspan\r\nstyle=\u0027mso-spacerun:yes\u0027\u003e  \u003c/span\u003etremendous\u003cspan style=\u0027mso-spacerun:yes\u0027\u003e \r\n\u003c/span\u003echallenges\u003cspan style=\u0027mso-spacerun:yes\u0027\u003e  \u003c/span\u003ein\u003cspan\r\nstyle=\u0027mso-spacerun:yes\u0027\u003e  \u003c/span\u003eaccessing\u003cspan style=\u0027mso-spacerun:yes\u0027\u003e \r\n\u003c/span\u003ejustice for women in Pakistan. Therefore, speedy and clear reform is\r\nrequired in order to fully address and eliminate such discrimination against\r\nwomen.\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=MsoNormal style=\u0027margin-bottom:8.0pt;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:\r\nnone;page-break-after:avoid;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none\u0027\u003e\u003cspan\r\nstyle=\u0027letter-spacing:.2pt\u0027\u003eREFERENCES\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=MsoNormal style=\u0027margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.0pt;\r\nmargin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;text-indent:-.3in;mso-pagination:none;\r\npage-break-after:avoid;tab-stops:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:\r\nnone\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027letter-spacing:.2pt\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027mso-tab-count:1\u0027\u003e       \u003c/span\u003e-\r\nIslam Ahsan, \u003ci\u003eFaith and Practice \u003c/i\u003e(The Islamic Foundation, 1981)\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=MsoNormal style=\u0027margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.0pt;\r\nmargin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;text-indent:-.3in;mso-pagination:none;\r\npage-break-after:avoid;tab-stops:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:\r\nnone\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027letter-spacing:.2pt\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027mso-tab-count:1\u0027\u003e       \u003c/span\u003e-\r\nAbu Ja\u0027far Muhammad B. Jarir Al-Tabari, The Commentary on the Quran. (Oxford\r\nUniversity Press (2012)\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=MsoNormal style=\u0027margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.0pt;\r\nmargin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;text-indent:-.3in;mso-pagination:none;\r\npage-break-after:avoid;tab-stops:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:\r\nnone\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027letter-spacing:.2pt\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027mso-tab-count:1\u0027\u003e       \u003c/span\u003e-\r\nF. Rahman, \u0026quot;Status of Women in the Quran\u0026quot; in G.Nashat (ed.,) \u003ci\u003eWomen\r\nand Revolution in Iran\u003c/i\u003e (1983) (Westview Press, Colorado, 1983). J.L.\r\nEsposito, \u003ci\u003eWomen in Muslim Family Law \u003c/i\u003e(Syracuse University Press, 1982).\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=MsoNormal style=\u0027margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.0pt;\r\nmargin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;text-indent:-.3in;mso-pagination:none;\r\npage-break-after:avoid;tab-stops:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:\r\nnone\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027letter-spacing:.2pt\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027mso-tab-count:1\u0027\u003e       \u003c/span\u003e-\r\nCritelli, Filomena M. \u0026quot;Between Law and Custom: Women, Family Law and\r\nMarriage in Pakistan.\u0026quot; \u003ci\u003eJournal of Comparative Family Studies\u003c/i\u003e, Vol.\r\n43, No. 5, 2012, pp. 673.693. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/23267840.\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=MsoNormal style=\u0027margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.0pt;\r\nmargin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;text-indent:-.3in;mso-pagination:none;\r\npage-break-after:avoid;tab-stops:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:\r\nnone\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027letter-spacing:.2pt\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027mso-tab-count:1\u0027\u003e       \u003c/span\u003e-\r\nYvonne Yazbeck Haddad and John L. Esposito, eds. \u003ci\u003eIslam, Gender and Social\r\nChange\u003c/i\u003e, (Oxford University, New York, 1991.)\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=MsoNormal style=\u0027margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;\r\nmargin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;text-indent:-.3in;mso-pagination:none;\r\npage-break-after:avoid;tab-stops:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:\r\nnone\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027letter-spacing:.2pt\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027mso-tab-count:1\u0027\u003e       \u003c/span\u003e-\r\nRaza Ahmad and Murad Hasan. (2010), Gender gap in Pakistan: A socio-demographic\r\nanalysis. International Journal of Social Economics (37 (July) 541-557)\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=MsoNormal style=\u0027margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;\r\nmargin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;text-indent:-.3in;mso-pagination:none;\r\npage-break-after:avoid;tab-stops:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:\r\nnone\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027letter-spacing:.2pt\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027mso-tab-count:1\u0027\u003e       \u003c/span\u003e-\r\nRives, M.J. and Yousafi, M. (1997), Economic Dimensions of Gender Inequality: A\r\nGlobal Perspective, Greenwood, Westport, CT.\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=MsoNormal style=\u0027margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;\r\nmargin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;text-indent:-.3in;mso-pagination:none;\r\npage-break-after:avoid;tab-stops:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:\r\nnone\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027letter-spacing:.2pt\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027mso-tab-count:1\u0027\u003e       \u003c/span\u003e-\r\nDankelman, I. (2004), \u0026quot;Gender, environment and sustainable development:\r\nunderstanding the linkages\u0026quot;, Natural Resources Management and Gender: A\r\nGlobal Resource Book, KIT (Royal Tropical Institute), Oxfam.\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=MsoNormal style=\u0027margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;\r\nmargin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;text-indent:-.3in;mso-pagination:none;\r\npage-break-after:avoid;tab-stops:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:\r\nnone\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027letter-spacing:.2pt\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027mso-tab-count:1\u0027\u003e       \u003c/span\u003e-\r\nAli, Parveen Azam, et al. \u0026quot;Intimate Partner Violence in Pakistan: A\r\nSystematic Review.\u0026quot; Trauma, Violence and Abuse, Vol. 16, No. 3, 2015, pp.\r\n299.315. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/26638361.\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=MsoNormal style=\u0027margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;\r\nmargin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;text-indent:-.3in;mso-pagination:none;\r\npage-break-after:avoid;tab-stops:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:\r\nnone\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027letter-spacing:.2pt\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027mso-tab-count:1\u0027\u003e       \u003c/span\u003e-\r\nZahid Mahmood, Muhammad Shahzad Anwer, Anam Javaid, Shahbaz Nawaz, Social and\r\nEconomic Determinants of Divorce in Pakistan: A Case Study of Multan District.\r\n(Journal of Culture, Society and Development, ISSN 2422-8400, Vol. 19, 2016)\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=MsoNormal style=\u0027margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;\r\nmargin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;text-indent:-.3in;mso-pagination:none;\r\npage-break-after:avoid;tab-stops:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:\r\nnone\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027letter-spacing:.2pt\u0027\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0027mso-tab-count:1\u0027\u003e       \u003c/span\u003e-\r\nThe Muted Voices of Women Interpreters, in Faith and Freedom - Women\u0027s Human\r\nRights in the Muslim World 61-77 (Mahnaz Afkhami, ed., 1995).\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003c/div\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003c/body\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003c/html\u003e\r\n"