The Supreme Court of Pakistan has made an important decision to protect women’s dignity and rights. In a recent case about dowry, dower (haq mehr), and financial support (nafaqah), the court ruled that a woman cannot be targeted, insulted, or denied her legal rights just because she is suspected of being infertile—or even if she actually is infertile.
This judgment was given by a two-member bench, which included Chief Justice Yahya Afridi. The court clearly stated that infertility or mere suspicion of it is not a valid reason to shame a woman or treat her unfairly. The justices emphasized that using such accusations against women is a harmful act and will not be accepted under the law.
To make this point clear, the court imposed a fine of Rs. 500,000 on the petitioner, ordering the amount to be paid to Mehnaz Begum—the woman affected in the case. This penalty shows that the court takes this matter seriously and wants to prevent people from using the legal system to promote gender discrimination or personal attacks.
Legal experts and women’s rights advocates are calling this a landmark ruling. It sends a strong message that every woman deserves respect and fair treatment, no matter her health condition. The court’s decision is being praised as a major step forward in protecting women from being unfairly blamed or mistreated in family-related disputes.
