Srinagar: Women in Kashmir, whose husbands went missing during the over two-decade long militancy, can remarry if their spouses remained untraced for four years, a group of prominent Muslim scholars in the Valley have held.
The decision has been welcomed by human rights groups, which said it will bring relief to over 1,500 so called ‘half-widows' in Kashmir whose husbands have allegedly disappeared during the last two decades and many of whom are living in pathetic conditions due to lack of clarity on issues of re-marriage and inheritance.
The decision on re-marriage of such women was taken by various scholars from different schools of thought at the conclusion of consultations over the issue, organised by ‘Ehsaas' - a civil society group - here yesterday.
Mohammad Saeed-ur-Rehman Shamas of Anjuman-e-Nusratul Islam said a detailed ‘fatwa' or religious decree in this regard will be issued soon.
