Anwar Zada Gulyar
Bajaur: Founder of Pakistan’s first Women Jirga and social activist Tabassum Adnan has said that the formal inclusion of women in the jirga system is an urgent need of the time, as women themselves are better aware of their issues and challenges. She demanded that women be included in the District Resolution Council (DRC) and that the district administration ensure the implementation of this decision.
Tabassum Adnan said that women in tribal and underdeveloped areas face serious difficulties in obtaining their basic rights, while the absence of women’s representation in forums such as jirga and DRC leads to one-sided decisions, which are contrary to justice and Islamic teachings. She said that Islam grants women clear rights, including dignity, inheritance, the right to express opinion, and Haq Mehr, and no one has the authority to restrict or undermine these rights.
Expressing serious concerns over a recent jirga decision in Bajaur, she said that a jirga fixed the amount of Haq Mehr for women at one tola of gold, which is completely unjust. She maintained that no one has the right to determine a woman’s Haq Mehr on her behalf. According to Islamic Shariah, Haq Mehr is the personal right of a woman and should be determined according to her consent and will, with no room for coercion or social pressure.
She further said that it has become a common practice in society for men or family elders to decide the amount of Haq Mehr, which is not only unlawful but also a violation of women’s basic and Islamic rights. Criticizing social attitudes, she questioned what kind of honor it is that women are allowed to visit various centers to receive benefits under the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) and other financial assistance, which society accepts, but if they step out to seek their rights through a jirga or any other forum, it is labeled as immorality and against so-called honor.
Tabassum Adnan said that Islam teaches justice, consultation, and the fulfillment of rights, and providing women access to justice is not immorality but a hallmark of a civilized, just, and Islamic society. She urged the government and district administration to ensure women’s inclusion to make the jirga and DRC systems more effective, fair, and in line with the principles of Shariah.
