OUR constitution (Article 25) stipulates: “All citizens are equal before the law”. As a result of this, women’s access to judicial bodies is increasing day by day. Nowadays women judges serve in diverse courts in the country, Federal Shariat Court, high courts, district and sessions courts, banking courts, accountability courts, etc.

In spite of these achievements, women face considerable problems within the judicial and legal system. It is a fact that women are still underrepresented in judicial and legal decision-making positions; and courts and court complexes are still men’s domain. While calls for greater women’s representation within the judicial system, both as judges and paralegal staff, are heard loudly in the public space.

One must pay tribute to family judges from all over Pakistan who spared no effort to dispense swifter justice in family-related matters, despite a plethora of problems and challenges, by being pragmatic, daring and resourceful.

Family court judges’ position is more important and more sensitive because they have to deal with ‘family matters’, such as preservation of family or otherwise, voluntary marriage, divorce, child custody and child support.

Family is the fundamental unit of any society. I request family court judges to take all those side-effects, after-effects and ramification into account while dealing with family matter cases. If they fall short of justice in any case or defeat the spirit of the family laws, then this miscarriage of justice will have disastrous consequences not only on victims’ families but also on society as a whole.

Hashim Abro
Islamabad

Opinion

The price of chocolate

The price of chocolate

Little attention is paid to any long-term strategy which might prevent vulnerable children from working in homes where they are in danger.

Editorial

Cholistan project
Updated 18 Feb, 2025

Cholistan project

GPI goals align with Pakistan's broader economic aims but the manner in which the initiative was launched raises questions.
Right to know
18 Feb, 2025

Right to know

IT is an unfortunate paradox that while on paper Pakistan has some of the most impressive right to information laws,...
Dam dispute
18 Feb, 2025

Dam dispute

THE situation in Chilas needs attention and a fair-minded approach so that it can be resolved amicably. Diamer ...
Climate funding gap
Updated 17 Feb, 2025

Climate funding gap

Pakistan must boost its institutional capacity to develop bankable climate projects.
UN monitoring report
Updated 17 Feb, 2025

UN monitoring report

Pakistan must press Kabul diplomatically over its tolerance of TTP terrorism.
Tax policy reform
17 Feb, 2025

Tax policy reform

THE cabinet’s decision to create a Tax Policy Office at the finance ministry has raised hopes that tax policy is...