ISLAMABAD: The Federal Ombudsperson for Protection against Harassment and Women’s Rights has helped a woman regain her rightful share in joint property worth Rs110 million that her former husband had denied her.
Following an amicable settlement, the Ombudsperson dismissed the review petition filed by the ex-husband, Dr. Shehraz Cheema, and ordered the transfer of an apartment in Islamabad’s E-11 sector and a plot in B-17 to the complainant, Maliha Mehmood. The transfer was finalized as Dr. Cheema did not raise any objections to the settlement proposal.
In her written decision, Federal Ombudsperson Fauzia Viqar stated that Islam granted women their rights 1,400 years ago, and depriving a woman of her share in property is both unlawful and contrary to Islamic teachings.
According to the case record, Maliha Mehmood, an IT professional, filed a complaint against her ex-husband, stating that their marriage took place on April 11, 2004, and ended through khula in 2019. During their marriage, the couple jointly purchased several properties in Islamabad, including an apartment in E-11 and three plots in Sector B-17.
Maliha presented all purchase documents, agreements, and payment proofs before the Ombudsperson. Despite repeated notices, Dr. Cheema failed to appear, leading to an ex-parte proceeding.
Later, the ex-husband filed a review petition, during which the market value of the joint properties was assessed at Rs110 million. The settlement proposal was shared with him, but he did not contest it.
The Ombudsperson ruled that the apartment and one plot be transferred to the complainant, with transfer expenses to be borne by her. The decision emphasized that Pakistan’s Constitution guarantees women equal rights to property ownership and protection under the law.
