Co-Existence of Wives and Functioning of Polygamous Families: Love VS Arranged Second Marriages in Pakistan

Abstract

Two third societies around the world permit polygamy across religions and cultures where a man has more than one wife at the same time. The accurate data about the existence of polygamy is not available for any country in the world. Polygamy is legally practiced in Pakistan as well but not much appreciated culturally. As the previous studies have found polygamy causes various economic, physical and emotional problems for women and children living under, it becomes important to study the functioning of polygamy. The present study is part of the researcher’s doctorate (PhD Gender Studies) thesis conducted with qualitative research methodology opting phenomenological study design by interviewing fifteen individuals, 5 husbands and 10 wives, currently living under polygamy in Kasur city of Pakistan. The study found first wife’s infertility or inability to produce male child a leading cause of polygamy here in Pakistan and better functioning of polygamous families where second marriage was also arranged and both wives were living in the same house. In cases where second marriage is out of love through the court of law the first wife and other family members do not accept the second wife, not even allow her to enter the home in most cases. In almost all cases the polygamous husbands give preferential treatment to second wife because of being younger than the first wife, being more beautiful and attractive or producing male child etc. First wife is neglected and developed a sense of deprivation in case of being infertile or unable to produce a male child.