Senate body for summary inheritance courts

The Senate's Sub Committee on Women Development met here on Saturday and received briefing on Wanni besides the existing laws concerning inheritance. The meeting was presided over by the Convenor of the Sub Committee Senator Sardar Mohammad Jamal Khan Leghari.
The sub committee was constituted by the Senate Standing Committee on Women Development to examine the existing inheritance laws and the Wanni custom prevalent in the country.
The Sub Committee demanded that Summary Inheritance Courts should be established to deal with the cases of inheritance with a view to ensure the implementation of inheritance laws so as to protect the rights of the women. The Sub Committee suggested that these Courts be set up as a part of access to justice programme.
The Sub Committee condemned the evil practice of Wanni and pointed out that the evil custom has already been made punishable under section 310 of the PPC and observed that awareness needs to be created among the masses.
The Sub Committee suggested that the FIR should invariably be lodged in the concerned police station and proper investigation should be carried out by the concerned police officials speedily.
Regarding the issue of inheritance, the members opined that electronic media should come forward to educate the people, at the grass root level about the rightful share of women as a legal heir.
It was suggested that in order to create awareness about the rights of women and their share in inheritance it should be made a part of the curriculum at school level. The members of the Committee underlined the need for removing the lacunas in the existing laws and expressed the view that no law contrary to the Islamic injunctions and values should be introduced.
Earlier, the Committee was given detailed briefing on the evil custom of Wanni and the existing laws of inheritance by the representatives of Ministries of Law and Justice and Women Development.
It was informed that multiple laws, Islamic Sharia and customary practices govern the rights to inheritance. However, these enactments are not properly implemented which has deprived many women of their right as a legal heir. They highlighted various customary practices which are prevalent in the society depriving women of their due rights.
The meeting was also attended by Senators Mrs Razina Alam Khan, Dr Kausar Firdaus and Mrs Semeen Siddiqui. Senior officials of the Ministries of Law and Justice and Women Development were also present.