The khula mistake

This refers to the news report, ‘Transgenders should be part of family, get inheritance: CII’ (May 28). It is with great shame and chagrin that I read about the recent so-called ‘proposals’ by the CII (Council of Islamic Ideology) to abolish a basic protective right women enjoy in Pakistan, ie, the right of Khula, which is fully in consonance with the letter and spirit of Islamic laws and which was integrated into the Muslim Family Ordinance (Pakistan Family Laws) of 1961 during the late Gen Ayub Khan’s rule.
These laws were landmarks and represented a major move towards granting women in Pakistan their fundamental rights and were fully approved at the time by all the main religious authorities in the country after due advice and consultation with Ulema across the Muslim world. What is happening now is that the CII wishes to take us back into tribalism and ‘rawaj’ (tribal customs) and away from the real light of Islam by denying basic rights of marriage and divorce, of property and gainful employment and social activity, etc. This is yet another step to challenge and erode mainstream Muslim opinion in the country.
Dr Ayesha K Sadozai
Peshawar