How did Pakistan’s Muslim Family Laws Ordinance of 1961 regulate polygamy and divorce by repudiation?

Pakistan’s Muslim Family Laws Ordinance of 1961 introduced reforms to traditional sharia by basing them on a new interpretation of the Qur'an and Hadith. These regulations were less radical than those adopted in some Middle Eastern countries at the time.1

Regarding the specific areas of reform:

• Polygamy: The ordinance did not prohibit the practice but made a man's ability to enter into a second marriage dependent upon the consent of an Arbitration Council.1
• Divorce by Repudiation (ṭalāq): The ordinance did not abolish the husband's right to unilateral repudiation. Instead, it suspended the legal effect of a husband's pronouncement of ṭalāq for a period of three months. This mandatory waiting period was intended to provide an opportunity for reconciliation between the spouses.1

These reforms represented a shift toward a more functional approach to law, though they faced criticism from traditionalists who argued that such reinterpretations prioritized social desirability over the divine will.1