How Pakistani Lesbian Couples Protect Each Other

In a country where same-sex relationships are criminalized, lesbian couples in Pakistan have developed a covert legal workaround.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Secret “Sisterhood Wills”: How Pakistani Lesbian Couples Protect Each Other.

In a country where same-sex relationships are criminalized, lesbian couples in Pakistan have developed a covert legal workaround—the “sisterhood will” (Wasiyat-e-Khawateen). This is how they use Islamic inheritance law to safeguard partners.

1. What Is a Sisterhood Will?

A legally valid Islamic will that disguises a lesbian partnership as:

“Two unmarried sisters” living together
“Business partners” jointly owning property
“Orphaned cousins” supporting each other

Key Feature: Under Hanafi fiqh, any Muslim can will up to 1/3 of their wealth freely (beyond mandatory heirs).

2. How It Works (Step-by-Step)

Step 1: The “Family” Cover Story

Partners present themselves as:
- Spinster sisters (if close in age)
- Aunt and niece (if age gap exists)
- Devoted friends running a joint business

Step 2: Legal Documentation

Property Deeds: Co-owned as “investors” (e.g., a beauty parlor, boutique)
Bank Accounts: Under “family trust” names
Medical Proxy: Listed as “sole caregiver” in hospital forms

Step 3: The Will Itself

Template Language:
“I, [Name], daughter of [Father], being of sound mind, bequeath 33% of my property to my sister/cousin [Partner’s Name], who has cared for me like blood.”
Witnesses: Paid unrelated women (often nurses/teachers) who ask no questions

3. Real-Life Examples

Case 1: The Lahore Teachers (2021)

Two headmistresses lived together for 30 years
Used a “Quran study circle” as cover
Will granted the surviving partner their shared home despite family lawsuits

Case 2: The Karachi Boutique (2023)

Partners ran a clothing shop as “cousins”
Willed business profits to each other via “employee beneficiary” clauses

Case 3: The Fake “Widow” (Rural Punjab)

One partner posed as a childless widow
Inherited the other’s land as “charity for poor women”

4. Risks & Countermeasures

A. Family Challenges

Counter-Tactic: Include small bequests to relatives (to discourage contests)

B. Sharia Court Scrutiny

Counter-Tactic: Register assets under Anglo-Saxon trust laws (available in major cities)

C. Breakup Disputes

Counter-Tactic: Pre-signed divorce papers (labeled as “business dissolution”)

5. The Underground Network

A secret group of female lawyers, notaries, and LGBTQ+ activists help couples draft these wills. Key players:

The “Chador Gang”: Women lawyers who meet clients in burqas
Progressive Qazis: Willing to notarize without probing
NGO Fronts: Women’s welfare groups that provide free will templates

6. Why This Matters

Economic Survival: Prevents partners from becoming homeless if one dies
Legal Precedent: Slowly normalizes non-traditional households
Resistance Strategy: Uses Islam’s own laws to protect forbidden love

“We are sisters in this life and the next—just not the kind they imagine.”
— A couple’s hidden will inscription

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