Refutation, Relinquishment and Inheritance: Exploring Women’s Inheritance Rights in Pakistan
Keywords:
Women inheritance, property refutation, property relinquishment, gender inequality, customary social systemAbstract
This paper aims at exploring women’s inheritance rights in Pakistan where women with no access to inheritance rights, is a customary practice in the country. The data for this study was collected through qualitative means i.e. loosely structured interview protocol with 14 gender and law experts was used as an instrument and data was analyzed through the thematic analysis technique. The data revealed that the constitution of Pakistan and Islamic Law allows a woman to get her property, but in practice, it is hard to see the constitutional and legal provisions materialized. Women themselves relinquish their property right to save their social relations in the native family. Further, if they wish to get their property, complicated legal system becomes a hurdle in their way to get their due share in the property. Government policies and governance are not facilitating in providing women inheritance rights. Materialization of law into practice is recommended.