A bride in Mardan has asked her husband to give her Rs 100,000 worth of books as Haq Mehr.
According to details, Naila Shamal Safi is a writer and says that she wanted books to highlight their importance in our daily lives. Naila is a resident of Tangi area of North Safi Charsadda while her husband Dr Sajjad Jwandun is a resident of Bhai Khan area of Mardan. Dr Jwandun has completed his Ph.D in Pashto while Naila is currently pursuing her Ph.D.
Haq Mehr is the obligatory gift or dower given to the wife by the husband at the time of nikkah.
Talking to BBC Urdu, Dr Sajjad said that he was happy to hear about his fiancee’s demand and hopes that this step will pave the way to end the practice of asking a big amount in Haq Mahr.
“In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, boys are often asked for Rs 10 to 20 lacs in Haq Mehr, while different demands are made for dowry,” said Dr Sajjad, adding: “People criticise when the first step is taken against the norm but our work is appreciated by all so far and I think the world has come a long way so we must move forward.”
Naila said that she is now in a relationship with not only her husband but also with the books.
“I have a lot of books in my bedroom and other rooms in my house. We have put some books in the cupboards but many are still in cartons. I will set those up after my wedding rituals,” she shared.
