ISLAMABAD: The Federal Shariat Court (FSC) of Pakistan has ruled that the practice of “Chadar and Parchi,” women’s inheritance-denying customs, is both un-Islamic and illegal. The court emphasized that such customs violate Islamic teachings and the law.
A three-member bench, led by Chief Justice Iqbal Hameed ur Rahman, issued the ruling while addressing a petition filed by Syeda Fouzia Jalaal Shah, an Islamabad resident.
Shah challenged the custom, prevalent in District Bannu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), which forces women to forfeit their inheritance or accept lesser shares under social pressure or decisions by local jirgas.
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The court declared that any custom depriving women of their Quranic and Sunnah-granted inheritance rights is void and punishable under Section 498-A of the Pakistan Penal Code. It also called for awareness campaigns and stricter enforcement of inheritance laws to protect women’s rights.
Despite the KP government denying the existence of such practices, the court ruled that any similar customs across the country are illegal and un-Islamic. The judgment stressed that the state has a duty to enforce Shariah principles, including protecting women’s rights.
Transparency International notes that systemic corruption and discrimination often prevent women in Pakistan from exercising their legal rights, even when they exist on paper.
