Peshawar: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has tabled a women’s property rights bill in the legislature with an aim to guarantee the protection of female ownership and inheritance rights, a news source reported. As per officials, the bill serves to prevent the violation of these rights through the introduction of stringent measures against harassment, coercion, and illegal seizure of properties.
The purpose of the bill, titled ‘Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Enforcement of Women’s Property Rights Act, 2019’, is to ensure the provision of an effective and speedy redressal mechanism geared towards the protection of women’s property ownership rights.
Following the promulgation, any woman deprived of ownership or possession of her property will be able file a complaint with the ombudsperson – provided that no proceedings in a court of law remain pending with regard to the property.
The ombudsperson, on their own motion or on a complaint filed by any person including a non-governmental organisation, can also initiate action in relation to the ownership or possession of a woman’s property.
Once the action has been initiated, the ombudsperson will make a preliminary assessment of the filed complaint. Afterwards, if the authority feels the matter requires further investigation, it will refer the matter to the relevant Deputy Commissioner.
In response, the deputy commissioner after summoning the record and issuing notices to the complainant and her adversaries, would conduct a summarised enquiry and submit a report within 15 days to the ombudsperson.
If the matter does not require any detailed probe, investigation or recording of evidence, the ombudsperson will pass orders. The ombudsperson has also been empowered to further conduct summarised enquiries.
If the ombudsperson comes to the conclusion that the complainant has been illegally deprived of ownership or possession of her property, he would direct the Deputy Commissioner to take step to restore the possession or title of the property to the complainant.
