The Supreme Court of Pakistan has ruled that all property gifted to a woman at the time of marriage by her parents, relatives, husband, or in-laws for her personal use and benefit is her exclusive property.
In a four-page judgment authored by Justice Shakeel Ahmad, a three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Yahya Afridi held that ownership depends on the intention behind the gift and the bride’s exclusive right to it, not merely on whose name it is associated with.
The ruling came while hearing a case concerning the return of dowry articles. The court noted that the respondent had claimed her parents had gifted her 87 tolas of gold jewelry at the time of marriage for her personal use.
The Supreme Court observed that bridal jewelry and gifts are not merely ceremonial items but often serve as a form of financial security and economic independence for women. It ruled that husbands or their families cannot legally retain, withhold, or misuse such property.
The court further clarified that a woman has the legal right to recover her property through the competent Family Court if she is unlawfully deprived of it.
The landmark judgment reinforces women’s property rights under Pakistani law and provides greater legal protection for bridal gifts, dowry items, and personal belongings.
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So woman can take man property . But man cannot keep dowry ?
How does that work ? That's the most nonsense decision ever.
The property concern to her as a wife should not be her if she no longer wants to be a wife.
Meaning husband and in laws should never gift anything to the woman
I mean it makes no sense that man gets to lose everything. The gift given to the woman was bcz of her status as a wife. Not for separation.
This only makes people avoid marriages. Meme these judges should give away their properties to their wives.