Naheed Akhtar from Shankiari city of Mansehra in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has finally got two kanals of land allotted to her as Haq Mehr, after a long wait of 12 years for the divorcee.

“I want to thank the police as they risked their life,” she said in a video statement where she spoke about her ordeal from her divorce to getting her right back. “I am thankful to them [police].”

Naheed is a female scholar. She was married in 2011 but it could not last long, according to her account of the incidents, because her in-laws used to torture her.

She went to her mother’s house when her in-laws evicted her from the house. Her father passed away in her childhood and her widow mother was leaving with her son.

Naheed divorced her husband after such an ordeal but it led to more problems for her as the in-laws seized the land allocated to her in Haq Mehr, a settlement agreement signed before the marriage by the couple.

The husband gives a gift or dower to the wife as a symbol of respect which is referred to as mehr. This is obligatory. According to tradition, it is the legal right of the wife that can be in cash or kind. The amount is variable and should be agreed to by both parties.

But Naheed’s case was different as the in-laws had seized the land, some jewellery, and the dowry. She approached the courts to seek her legal right. But she did not get it despite the court judgements, showing how the land grabbers locally known as qabza mafia violate rules.

She accused her in-laws of abducting her and torturing her family when they reached the site for possession after court and government orders.

Naheed, who is now associated with the teaching field, approached the police despite being wary of their image in society. But she says her meeting with Assistant Superintendent of Police Nayab Moiz changed her perception. She assured her of giving back her “rightful” land.

The Mansehra police have a special women’s desk specially made to address female victims’ complaints whether they are related to sexual harassment or rape or acid throwing or any other heinous crime.

Female constables and female officers are posted at the centre.

Nayab told Aaj News that she had checked all legal documents of Naheed where the dissolution of her marriage was also declared.

It was her team that helped Naheed to have possession of the land back. Footage showed that a tractor was brought to the site.

“I think women in Mansehra are hesitant and do not talk to male police officers so for this purpose this initiative was appreciated by the IGP. We will try to make public service delivery easy for people, especially females,” Nayab said.