SC Ruling on Gifts Given to Wives Is Commendable: PAT Secretary General

Islam established these principles 1,400 years ago, yet they have not been fully implemented
Family laws must be aligned with the Qur'an and Sunnah, says PAT Secretary General

Khurram Nawaz Gandapur, Secretary General of Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT), has welcomed the recent Supreme Court ruling affirming that a gift voluntarily given by a husband to his wife becomes her exclusive property and cannot subsequently be reclaimed by the husband.

He described the judgment as a commendable step that reflects principles established by Islam more than 1,400 years ago. He noted that despite the clarity of these Islamic injunctions, they have yet to be fully incorporated into the country's legal and social framework.

Khurram Nawaz Gandapur stated that Islam comprehensively defined the rights and responsibilities governing marital, family, and social relations over fourteen centuries ago. According to Islamic teachings, gifts voluntarily presented to one's wife become her lawful property, and demanding their return is not only ethically inappropriate but also contrary to Islamic values and principles.

He further observed that fifty-three years have passed since the promulgation of Pakistan's 1973 Constitution, under which important institutions such as the Council of Islamic Ideology and the Federal Shariat Court were established to ensure that no law or legal practice in the country contradicts the Qur'an and Sunnah.

He said the Supreme Court's recent judgment also underscores the fact that considerable work remains to fully harmonize Pakistan's legal and social systems with the teachings of the Qur'an and Sunnah. He urged state institutions, Parliament, and the judiciary to undertake a comprehensive review of family and social laws in light of Islamic injunctions so that citizens may receive timely and genuine justice.