Sept 21, 2024
By Shoukat Korai
KARACHI:
In a positive development, over 10,000 divorce cases have been resolved in Sindh’s family courts in 2024 – due to a revised scoring and reward policy for district judges. This reform has significantly reduced the backlog of pending cases, which legal experts had long cited as a major impediment to justice for women trapped in abusive marriages.
Lawyers have noted an improvement, with divorce petitions now being resolved within two months — a stark contrast to the years-long delays that women previously endured. This accelerated process is particularly beneficial for women suffering from domestic violence.
The new policy, introduced in early 2024, draws from both Supreme Court and Shariat Court rulings on divorce, allowing family courts to streamline cases. For instance, notices for eviction and media advertisements, previously handled separately, are now combined with notices posted on the husband’s residence – saving time and resources.
For Nazia Ahmed, a resident of Karachi, the reform has been life-changing. “A divorce application used to take over a year, but now it’s handled in a matter of months. After the court’s recent decisions, seeking khula has become much faster and less stressful,” she said.
Delays in the past were often due to the absence of key judicial figures. “Sometimes the judge wouldn’t show up, or the prosecutor was absent. This prolonged the process unnecessarily,” Ahmed added.
Under the new judicial framework, judges who handle cases swiftly are recognized with certificates of merit, which motivates the judiciary to take quick action.
Domestic abuse remains the primary cause of divorce in these cases, according to lawyer Munizae Kakar – “Many women in Pakistan endure abusive households, where they face physical violence and financial deprivation by their husbands. Often, they are unaware of their legal right to khula. But this revised system has given them an option to seek khula with relative ease.”
Women’s rights activists, including Nuzhat Shirin, see this as a positive development, particularly for women who have long been trapped in abusive households due to their husbands’ refusal to grant divorce. “The fast-tracking of khula cases has finally given women the option to step out of destructive relationships,” she commented.
Still, activists caution that while this policy is a significant step forward, there is much work to be done. “Numerous laws protecting women’s rights in Sindh remain unenforced. It’s crucial for policymakers to ensure full implementation,” she added.