The High Court on Monday issued a rule asking why directives should not be issued to formulate court procedures and guidelines for recovering denmohor (mahr) fixed at the time of marriage.
It asked the respondents, including the law secretary, to explain why such directions should not be issued.
The bench of Justice Ahmed Sohel and Justice Fatema Anwar passed the order after a preliminary hearing on a public interest writ petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer Barrister Fahmida Akhter, who represented the petition before the court.
During the hearing, the court observed: “Most of the problems arise from fixing denmohor (mahr) merely for show, departing from religious practice.”
It also said the issue should not go beyond the principles of Islamic Sharia.
The writ, filed on July 5, sought directions to formulate and publish comprehensive guidelines under Section 10 of the Muslim Family Laws Ordinance, 1961, on the assessment and recovery of denmohor.
According to the petition, the guidelines should clearly set out the procedure, policy, and method for assessing and recovering denmohor one year after the date of marriage.
The petition argued that such guidelines would help safeguard the rights and financial interests of women in marriage while removing ambiguity in Section 10 of the Muslim Family Laws Ordinance, 1961.
