PESHAWAR: Ms Sajida, an LLM scholar at International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI), has successfully defended her dissertation on “The impact of colonialism on women’s right to inheritance: A critical evaluation under Shariah and the Pakistani legal system”.

Hailing from Pakhtun hinterland of Dir, Ms Sajida highlighted how the denial of women’s inheritance rights has often been justified by a mix of customary practices and legal frameworks.

Her research critically examines the barriers posed by societal norms and traditional practices in enforcing inheritance rights, while evaluating the role of Pakistan’s legislative and social structures in shaping these rights.

The study traces evolution of women’s inheritance rights from the colonial era to the present, focusing on the challenges of their enforcement under contemporary laws.

Published in Dawn, January 17th, 2025