Category: National

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has ruled that husbands are legally bound to return the entire dowry to their wives in case of divorce, while issuing directions for legal reforms and changes to the nikahnama.

In a 28-page judgment, Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani held that dowry items and bridal gifts remain the exclusive property of the wife. He also stated that if such items cannot be returned, the wife is entitled to claim their monetary value.

The verdict was issued in an appeal filed by Amara Waqar against earlier rulings of lower courts. The high court set aside the decisions of the family and district courts and directed the family court to rehear the case within two months in line with the principles outlined in the judgment.

Justice Kayani further ruled that women are entitled to an equal share in property acquired during marriage, which should be divided between spouses in cases of divorce or death.

Referring to Islamic law, Quranic injunctions and international precedents, the court stated that women’s financial rights are recognised under both religious and legal frameworks.

The court also directed the government to introduce legislation to define and protect women’s ownership and financial rights. It called for amendments to the nikahnama to include provisions ensuring a wife’s share in assets acquired during marriage.

The judgment pointed out that unclear contractual terms have limited women’s ability to claim their rights and stressed the need for clearer legal safeguards.

It also instructed authorities to include education on marital rights at school, college and university levels so women are aware of their legal entitlements.

The court referred to column 18 of the nikahnama, stating that awareness at the time of marriage would enable women to secure their rights. It observed that enforcement mechanisms are necessary for implementation, noting that legal protections remain ineffective without execution.

Pakistan’s reported role in facilitating possible talks between the United States (US) and Iran has sparked a wide range of reactions online, with users weighing in on Islamabad’s emerging position amid ongoing diplomatic contacts.

The news has triggered an explosion of reactions, with many noting that Pakistan is giving “they ignored her in high school but now everyone’s obsessed after the glow-up” energy.

While some users described the situation as a “comeback on the global stage”, others were more cautious, suggesting the development looks like “media-driven hype” to help Pakistan position itself internationally rather than a confirmed diplomatic breakthrough.

The momentum for the talks follows a high-level contact between Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Field Marshal Asim Munir and US President Donald Trump. 

In a significant move, Trump also reposted Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif’s peace talks proposal on Truth Social. This shift left many social media users in disbelief, with one commenting that they “could not believe their eyes” and someone should “ward off the evil eye from Pakistan”.

Another user joked that “Shehbaz Sharif’s call package is finally delivering” in reference to earlier reports of the premier reaching out to global leaders during the conflict, while some labeled the country the “nuclear baddie of the Muslim world”.

On the ground, the foreign ministry indicates that a US delegation is expected within a day or two, though Iranian officials remain hesitant due to a lack of trust. 

Pakistan, alongside Türkiye and Egypt, has been acting as a “vital diplomatic conduit”, passing messages between White House envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. 

While social media users argue this isn’t just about peace but practical survival, noting that Islamabad realises an “explosion of the situation in Iran would mean a flood of refugees and chaos” on its own borders, the sense of national pride is palpable online.

The regional reaction has been equally intense, particularly across the border. Vice President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Rajeev Shukla expressed his disapproval on X, stating he does not like Pakistan becoming a “Chaudhary on the world stage”.

He questioned the comparison between India and Pakistan, remarking that “America, China, Russia, and Saudi Arabia have come together to make it a messenger of peace”.

Shukla, however, wasn’t the only one as Indian journalists and experts also went into frenzy on air and over the internet after Pakistan’s possible role in achieving regional peace was reported.

The Punjab government is mulling major steps aimed at addressing the ongoing energy crisis, which may include an extension in the closure of schools till Apr 15, work-from-home policies for the private sector and restrictions on fuel for certain vehicles on designated days.

As per the details, the provincial energy department has presented new recommendations to Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Maryam Nawaz, as per which fuel rationing similar to the federal model is being considered.

A proposal has been presented to introduce a coupon or digital system to ensure fair distribution of petrol and diesel while fuel supply may be restricted to certain vehicles on designated days.

Educational institutions could face extended closures until April 15, while a hybrid learning system is under review.

The private sector may also be directed to enforce strict work-from-home policies whereas other recommendations include a complete ban on unnecessary social events, the expansion of metro and other public bus services to reduce reliance on private transport, shutting down of LED billboards and decorative lights and alternate mode of operation of street lights after 10 pm. 

Further restrictions on market operating hours are also being considered.

While said measures remain subject to official approval, if implemented, they would mark a major shift in the province’s energy management strategy to conserve fuel and electricity during the ongoing global oil crisis due to tensions in the Middle East.

US Vice President JD Vance may attend a proposed peace summit in Islamabad as Pakistan intensifies efforts to facilitate talks between the United States (US) and Iran, Israeli official sources cited by an American media outlet have said. 

The proposed meeting is expected to include Iranian officials, including Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, along with members of the US delegation. The summit is likely to take place later this week in Islamabad.

Pakistani Foreign Ministry sources told Anadolu Agency that a US delegation is expected to arrive in Pakistan “in a day or 2” for possible talks, adding that Iran is “still not ready” due to mistrust.

The development follows contacts between Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir and US President Donald Trump, another media outlet reported, citing two people briefed on the call.

Türkiye, Pakistan and Egypt have also passed messages between Washington DC and Tehran over the past two days. 

The report said that the foreign ministers of the three countries held separate talks with White House envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

“The mediation is ongoing and making progress. The discussion is about ending the war and resolving all outstanding issues. We hope to have answers soon,” a source familiar with the details told Axios.

Pakistan has been engaged in back-channel diplomacy alongside Türkiye and Egypt. An official had earlier said that “active back-channel diplomacy” involving Witkoff and Araghchi was aimed at maintaining “quiet communication”.

Reports said that coordination between Islamabad, Ankara and Cairo had created a “vital diplomatic conduit” to address the situation.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also spoke with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi to discuss “recent regional developments”.

“(They) emphasised the importance of dialogue & diplomacy to promote peace, security, and stability in the region and beyond,” the foreign ministry said on X, adding that both sides agreed to remain in close contact.

Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif said that he spoke with Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian and discussed “the grave situation in the Gulf region”. He said that Pakistan was committed to playing “a constructive role in advancing peace”.

Sharif added that both sides agreed on the need for “de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy”.

In Tehran, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said that the messages had been received from “some friendly countries indicating a US request for negotiations at ending the war”, according to IRNA. Iran has not formally responded to those messages.

Earlier this month, Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir visited Riyadh and met Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Islamabad has also condemned the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and conveyed congratulations to his successor Mojtaba Khamenei.

US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has included Pakistan among countries posing a significant threat to the United States (US), warning lawmakers that Islamabad’s missile development could potentially bring the American homeland within range.

Presenting the 2026 Annual Threat Assessment before the US Senate Intelligence Committee on Wednesday, she said, “Russia, China, North Korea, Iran and Pakistan have been researching and developing an array of novel, advanced, or traditional missile delivery systems with nuclear and conventional payloads, that put our Homeland within range.”

She added, “Pakistan’s long-range ballistic missile development potentially could include ICBMs (Intercontinental Ballistic Missile) with the range capable of striking the Homeland.”

Gabbard further said that the countries identified in the report “will likely seek to understand US plans for advanced missile defence… for the purpose of shaping their own missile development programmes and assessing US intentions regarding deterrence.”

She warned of a sharp increase in missile threats over the next decade, stating, “…threats to the Homeland will expand collectively to more than 16,000 missiles by 2035, from the current assessed figure of more than 3,000 missiles.”

The assessment triggered reactions from analysts in Washington DC. Scholar Shuja Nawaz said the inclusion of Pakistan reflected continuity in US policy trends. He said, “This continues the analysis of the Biden administration that placed sanctions on Pakistani entities and tried to curb acquisition of new technologies.”

He added that most estimates place Pakistan’s Shaheen-III missile range at under 2,800 kilometres and said Islamabad maintains its nuclear programme is intended for deterrence against India. 

“There is no reason for Pakistan to target the United States or any other country outside South Asia. Such assessments undermine the budding US-Pakistan relationship,” he said.

US-based analyst Michael Kugelman said, “It’s a significant comment, given that the current administration has been fairly quiet on the Pakistan nuclear weapons issue and has generally projected positivity in its messaging on Pakistan.”

He added, “But at the same time, I wouldn’t overstate the significance here. Pakistan wasn’t singled out exclusively; it was called out with other countries.”

The assessment also highlighted South Asia as a continuing security concern, particularly tensions between Pakistan and India.

The report stated, “India–Pakistan relations remain a risk for nuclear conflict given past conflicts where these two nuclear states squ¬ared off, creating the danger of escalation,” while also referring to the Pahalgam attack.

It added, “President Trump’s intervention deescalated the most recent nuclear tensions, and we assess that neither country seeks to return to open conflict, but that conditions exist for terrorist actors to continue to create catalysts for crises.”

On Pakistan-Afghanistan tensions, it said, “Relations between Pakistan and the Taliban have been tense, with intermittent cross-border clashes, as Islamabad has become increasingly frustrated with anti-Pakistan terrorist groups’ presence in Afghanistan while Islamabad faces growing terrorist violence.”

It further noted, “Pakistan’s army chief warned this month that lasting peace requires the Taliban to sever ties with militants targeting Pakistan. The Taliban’s public posture has been to call for dialogue, but it has denied harbouring anti-Pakistani militants.”

The report also said regional powers are increasingly using force to advance their interests, stating that countries including Egypt, Israel, Pakistan, Turkiye and the UAE are using a mix of lethal aid, proxy forces, or their own military assets to provoke or undermine their rivals or to tilt nearby conflicts in their favour.