Unveiling the Struggle: A Socio-Legal Analysis of Women’s Quest for Property Rights in Rural Pakistan

Abstract

In many developing agrarian societies, land is not merely an economic asset but a symbol of social power, lineage, and security. In rural areas of Pakistan, while statutory and Islamic laws explicitly grant women the right to inherit and own property, the chasm between legal theory and social practice remains vast. This study investigates the multi-dimensional barriers like socio-cultural, institutional, and psychological that prevent women from realizing their property rights. Utilizing a qualitative methodological framework, the research draws on in depth interviews and participant observations from rural Punjab. The findings reveal a "Triple Burden" of deprivation: the weight of patriarchal customary law, the inefficiency and corruption within the revenue bureaucracy (Patwar-khana and Tehsil Offices), and the internal social pressure to sacrifice legal rights for the sake of maintaining "familial honour." The study argues that without a systemic overhaul of the land administration system and a shift in the cultural perception of female autonomy, the goals of gender equality and Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG 5) will remain elusive.