ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information, Broadcasting, National Heritage, and Culture, Attaullah Tarar on Wednesday suggested the formation of a special parliamentary committee, including members from the opposition, to raise awareness and tackle the implementation issues surrounding women’s inheritance rights.
Responding to a calling attention notice about the non-enforcement of court orders concerning women’s legal share of inheritance in the Islamabad Capital Territory, he urged the chair to notify a committee comprising members from both the Senate and National Assembly. He fully supported Nafeesa Shah’s suggestion to include Senate members in the committee and requested that the process be expedited.
The minister said, that his ministry will launch awareness campaigns to educate the public in this regard. He said that Islam mandated inheritance rights for women.
He said that officials from National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) and the Revenue Board would also be invited to participate in the committee’s discussions.
He said that dowry has no place in Islam or inheritance law, and pointed out the need to change societal mindsets that deprive women of their legal inheritance rights.
“It is unfortunate that women continue to be denied their rightful inheritance. To change this mindset, we must address the cultural barriers,” Tarar said. “We must accept that women deserve their rightful inheritance. When this house raises its voice, the mindset will change.”
He highlighted recent reforms that allow the NADRA to issue succession certificates, simplifying the inheritance process with only four key documents: a Family Registration Certificate (FRC), a death certificate, a succession certificate, and an affidavit.
He praised Pakistan’s historic milestone of electing its first female Prime Minister when many countries had yet to reach such progress. He disagreed with the suggestion to refer the matter solely to the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus, advocating instead for a broader committee that includes members of the Caucus but would be more effective.
In a separate issue, he said that the government had taken swift action regarding an acid attack on a woman in the federal capital, registering a First Information Report (FIR) and arresting one of the culprits.
A delegation including Romina Khurshid Alam and Musadik Masood Malik had visited the hospital to inquire about the victim’s health, he added.
