The Supreme Court of Pakistan has strongly criticized a man who wrongly accused his wife of not being a “real woman” because of alleged infertility. The court called the case deeply troubling and said it caused the woman great personal pain and humiliation. Even though three different courts had already rejected the allegation, the man kept pushing the claim, turning it into a long legal battle that lasted ten years.Infertility allegation in court
Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, in a detailed judgment, said that infertility — even if proven — is never a valid reason to question a woman’s right to dower (mehr) or maintenance, and certainly not her womanhood. He added that using someone’s personal pain as a legal tool is both abusive and disrespectful.
The Chief Justice also highlighted how Islam treats marriage as a sacred bond of respect, love, and dignity. He said women are already vulnerable in society. And courts have a duty to protect their dignity and not allow them to be harmed through legal processes.
In this case, the petitioner not only wasted court time but also caused emotional trauma to the woman. To show strong disapproval of his behavior, the court fined him Rs500,000, which must be paid to the woman.
The judgment ended with a reminder: courts will not tolerate false or harmful claims that attack a woman’s dignity. All parties in court — especially lawyers and litigants — must act with respect, particularly in sensitive matters.
