{"id":17611,"date":"2026-05-24T19:52:04","date_gmt":"2026-05-24T19:52:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hrnww.com\/?p=17611"},"modified":"2026-05-24T19:52:04","modified_gmt":"2026-05-24T19:52:04","slug":"islamabad-khula-cannot-be-granted-without-wifes-explicit-consent-rules-supreme-court-in-landmark-family-law-judgment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hrnww.com\/?p=17611","title":{"rendered":"Islamabad: Khula Cannot Be Granted Without Wife\u2019s Explicit Consent, Rules Supreme Court in Landmark Family Law Judgment"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"model-response-message-contentr_1b2eba8f8310bd98\" class=\"markdown markdown-main-panel enable-updated-hr-color\" dir=\"ltr\" aria-live=\"off\" aria-busy=\"false\">\n<p data-path-to-node=\"1\"><b data-path-to-node=\"1\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">ISLAMABAD (HRNW)<\/b> \u2013 The Supreme Court of Pakistan has issued a comprehensive and landmark judgment regarding family disputes and dissolution of marriage, ruling that a decree of <i data-path-to-node=\"1\" data-index-in-node=\"177\">Khula<\/i> (divorce initiated by the wife) cannot be granted without the explicit, informed, and unambiguous consent of the wife.<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"2\">A three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Yahya Afridi, issued the detailed 12-page judgment, authored by Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan, setting critical new guidelines for family courts across the country.<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"3\">Key highlights of the Supreme Court&#8217;s ruling include:<\/p>\n<h3 data-path-to-node=\"4\">Protection of Financial Rights and Khula<\/h3>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"5\">The apex court clarified that if a woman files a lawsuit for the dissolution of marriage on the grounds of cruelty, converting her plea unilaterally into a <i data-path-to-node=\"5\" data-index-in-node=\"156\">Khula<\/i> can severely compromise her financial rights (such as her entitlement to dower\/mahr). Therefore, courts must grant the wife the autonomy to decide whether she wishes to pursue her claim of cruelty or opt for <i data-path-to-node=\"5\" data-index-in-node=\"370\">Khula<\/i> by relinquishing certain financial privileges.<\/p>\n<h3 data-path-to-node=\"6\">Broadened Definition of Domestic Violence and Mental Cruelty<\/h3>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"7\">The Supreme Court significantly widened the scope of what constitutes domestic abuse, highlighting that:<\/p>\n<ul data-path-to-node=\"8\">\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"8,0,0\">Domestic violence is not limited to physical abuse; it encompasses mental torture, humiliation, psychological pressure, and willful deprivation of basic needs.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"8,1,0\">Mental cruelty includes emotional trauma, persistent neglect, and inflicting severe emotional distress upon a spouse.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 data-path-to-node=\"9\">Guidelines for Family Courts and Case Merits<\/h3>\n<ul data-path-to-node=\"10\">\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"10,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"10,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Standard of Proof:<\/b> The Supreme Court directed family courts to refrain from applying the stringent criminal standard of proof in civil and domestic matters. Instead, family judges should analyze the facts, mutual behavior, and overall circumstances of the household.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"10,1,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"10,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Background of the Case:<\/b> In the case under review, the marriage took place on September 19, 2016, and the lawsuit for separation was filed shortly after on October 8, 2016. The court observed that cruelty can occur even within a very short duration, and every case must be judged on its specific merits. While the wife failed to fully prove physical cruelty under criminal standards\u2014leading the court to uphold lower court findings regarding the evidence\u2014the marriage had effectively ended at its inception, and the wife remained steadfast in her refusal to reconcile.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 data-path-to-node=\"11\">Case Remanded to Family Court<\/h3>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"12\">The Supreme Court partially set aside the lower court\u2019s decree of <i data-path-to-node=\"12\" data-index-in-node=\"66\">Khula<\/i> and remanded the case back to the Family Court solely to determine the correct procedure of <i data-path-to-node=\"12\" data-index-in-node=\"164\">Khula<\/i> and the settlement of the woman&#8217;s financial rights.<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"13\">Per the apex court&#8217;s directives, the Family Court will now record the wife&#8217;s final statement to ascertain her definitive preference. If she explicitly opts for <i data-path-to-node=\"13\" data-index-in-node=\"160\">Khula<\/i>, the case will be concluded in accordance with legal prerequisites (such as the partial or full return of dower). If she stands by her claim of cruelty, the court will adjudicate accordingly. The Supreme Court has mandated the Family Court to resolve this matter within 30 days.<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"15\"><b data-path-to-node=\"15\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Stand Up for Human Rights \u2013 Support Our Cause!<\/b><\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"15\">Help <b data-path-to-node=\"15\" data-index-in-node=\"52\">HRNW<\/b>, the world\u2019s No. 1 human rights portal. Click on the link below to support our mission in raising a voice for the oppressed and promoting human rights globally:<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"16\"><a class=\"ng-star-inserted\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?q=https:\/\/www.hrnww.com\/%3Fpage_id%3D1083\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-hveid=\"0\" data-ved=\"0CAAQ_4QMahgKEwirsfLDxNKUAxUAAAAAHQAAAAAQxAY\">https:\/\/www.hrnww.com\/?page_id=1083<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"pvc_stats_17611\" class=\"pvc_stats total_only  \" data-element-id=\"17611\" style=\"\"><i class=\"pvc-stats-icon medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" version=\"1.0\" viewBox=\"0 0 502 315\" preserveAspectRatio=\"xMidYMid meet\"><g transform=\"translate(0,332) scale(0.1,-0.1)\" fill=\"\" stroke=\"none\"><path d=\"M2394 3279 l-29 -30 -3 -207 c-2 -182 0 -211 15 -242 39 -76 157 -76 196 0 15 31 17 60 15 243 l-3 209 -33 29 c-26 23 -41 29 -80 29 -41 0 -53 -5 -78 -31z\"\/><path d=\"M3085 3251 c-45 -19 -58 -50 -96 -229 -47 -217 -49 -260 -13 -295 52 -53 146 -42 177 20 16 31 87 366 87 410 0 70 -86 122 -155 94z\"\/><path d=\"M1751 3234 c-13 -9 -29 -31 -37 -50 -12 -29 -10 -49 21 -204 19 -94 39 -189 45 -210 14 -50 54 -80 110 -80 34 0 48 6 76 34 21 21 34 44 34 59 0 14 -18 113 -40 219 -37 178 -43 195 -70 221 -36 32 -101 37 -139 11z\"\/><path d=\"M1163 3073 c-36 -7 -73 -59 -73 -102 0 -56 133 -378 171 -413 34 -32 83 -37 129 -13 70 36 67 87 -16 290 -86 209 -89 214 -129 231 -35 14 -42 15 -82 7z\"\/><path d=\"M3689 3066 c-15 -9 -33 -30 -42 -48 -48 -103 -147 -355 -147 -375 0 -98 131 -148 192 -74 13 15 57 108 97 206 80 196 84 226 37 273 -30 30 -99 39 -137 18z\"\/><path d=\"M583 2784 c-38 -19 -67 -74 -58 -113 9 -42 211 -354 242 -373 16 -10 45 -18 66 -18 51 0 107 52 107 100 0 39 -1 41 -124 234 -80 126 -108 162 -133 173 -41 17 -61 16 -100 -3z\"\/><path d=\"M4250 2784 c-14 -9 -74 -91 -133 -183 -95 -150 -107 -173 -107 -213 0 -55 33 -94 87 -104 67 -13 90 8 211 198 130 202 137 225 78 284 -27 27 -42 34 -72 34 -22 0 -50 -8 -64 -16z\"\/><path d=\"M2275 2693 c-553 -48 -1095 -270 -1585 -649 -135 -104 -459 -423 -483 -476 -23 -49 -22 -139 2 -186 73 -142 361 -457 571 -626 285 -228 642 -407 990 -497 242 -63 336 -73 660 -74 310 0 370 5 595 52 535 111 1045 392 1455 803 122 121 250 273 275 326 19 41 19 137 0 174 -41 79 -309 363 -465 492 -447 370 -946 591 -1479 653 -113 14 -422 18 -536 8z m395 -428 c171 -34 330 -124 456 -258 112 -119 167 -219 211 -378 27 -96 24 -300 -5 -401 -72 -255 -236 -447 -474 -557 -132 -62 -201 -76 -368 -76 -167 0 -236 14 -368 76 -213 98 -373 271 -451 485 -162 444 86 934 547 1084 153 49 292 57 452 25z m909 -232 c222 -123 408 -262 593 -441 76 -74 138 -139 138 -144 0 -16 -233 -242 -330 -319 -155 -123 -309 -223 -461 -299 l-81 -41 32 46 c18 26 49 83 70 128 143 306 141 649 -6 957 -25 52 -61 116 -79 142 l-34 47 45 -20 c26 -10 76 -36 113 -56z m-2057 25 c-40 -58 -105 -190 -130 -263 -110 -324 -59 -707 132 -981 25 -35 42 -64 37 -64 -19 0 -241 119 -326 174 -188 122 -406 314 -532 468 l-58 71 108 103 c185 178 428 349 672 473 66 33 121 60 123 61 2 0 -10 -19 -26 -42z\"\/><path d=\"M2375 1950 c-198 -44 -350 -190 -395 -379 -18 -76 -8 -221 19 -290 114 -284 457 -406 731 -260 98 52 188 154 231 260 27 69 37 214 19 290 -38 163 -166 304 -326 360 -67 23 -215 33 -279 19z\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/i> <img decoding=\"async\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"Loading\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hrnww.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/page-views-count\/ajax-loader-2x.gif\" border=0 \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>ISLAMABAD (HRNW) \u2013 The Supreme Court of Pakistan has issued a comprehensive and landmark judgment regarding family disputes and dissolution of marriage, ruling that a decree of Khula (divorce initiated by the wife) cannot be granted without the explicit, informed, and unambiguous consent of the wife. A three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Yahya Afridi,&#8230;<\/p>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"pvc_stats_17611\" class=\"pvc_stats total_only  \" data-element-id=\"17611\" style=\"\"><i class=\"pvc-stats-icon medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" version=\"1.0\" viewBox=\"0 0 502 315\" preserveAspectRatio=\"xMidYMid meet\"><g transform=\"translate(0,332) scale(0.1,-0.1)\" fill=\"\" stroke=\"none\"><path d=\"M2394 3279 l-29 -30 -3 -207 c-2 -182 0 -211 15 -242 39 -76 157 -76 196 0 15 31 17 60 15 243 l-3 209 -33 29 c-26 23 -41 29 -80 29 -41 0 -53 -5 -78 -31z\"\/><path d=\"M3085 3251 c-45 -19 -58 -50 -96 -229 -47 -217 -49 -260 -13 -295 52 -53 146 -42 177 20 16 31 87 366 87 410 0 70 -86 122 -155 94z\"\/><path d=\"M1751 3234 c-13 -9 -29 -31 -37 -50 -12 -29 -10 -49 21 -204 19 -94 39 -189 45 -210 14 -50 54 -80 110 -80 34 0 48 6 76 34 21 21 34 44 34 59 0 14 -18 113 -40 219 -37 178 -43 195 -70 221 -36 32 -101 37 -139 11z\"\/><path 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