• Rules husband, in-laws can’t claim ornaments gifted to bride; withholding them is ‘unlawful deprivation’ • Notes dowry constitutes women’s ‘financial security’ • Family courts empowered to order recovery of bridal property ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has ruled that gold ornaments gifted to a bride by her parents or relatives at the time of marriage for her exclusive use are her absolute property, declaring that neither her husband nor his family can legally claim them. Retaining such jewellery amounts to the illegal deprivation of a wife’s proprietary rights, which is remediable through proceedings before a family court, Justice Shakeel Ahmad cautioned in a judgement. The observation came on an appeal moved by Ghulam Habib against his wife, Shazia, relating to the recovery of dowry articles.