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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.