The Aporia · US billionaire sent wife to Pakistan, secretly divorced her under Sharia law, paying only $50. 13 years later, Texas Supreme Court cancels foreign talaq

The Texas Supreme Court has invalidated a Sharia law divorce obtained by billionaire Mohammad Ali Choudhri from his wife Hira Azhar under Pakistani law. Choudhri secretly divorced Azhar in 2013 while she was out of the country, paying only $50 as settlement, without informing her until two years later. Azhar had challenged this divorce for over a decade before the Texas Supreme Court ruled that the notice given to her was inadequate under U.S. constitutional standards and did not recognize it.

Written by AI on 2026-09-30, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

Story summary

The Texas Supreme Court has ruled that a unilateral Islamic divorce obtained by businessman Mohammad Ali Choudhri in Pakistan is not valid in Texas. Choudhri had lived in Houston since age three, built multiple businesses there, and accumulated over $100 million in marital assets during his marriage to Hira Azhar. In 2013, he secretly divorced her using Islamic talaq law while she was unaware and not served with legal notice. The court rejected Choudhri's Pakistani divorce because it did not meet Texas standards for due process, including proper notification. As a result, the couple must now undergo an official Texas divorce proceeding, during which Azhar can claim marital assets from Choudhri.

Written for “International Divorce Dispute” on 2026-11-03, grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.

📰 International Divorce Dispute

Crime & Law · 2 article(s) covering the same event. See how they differ ↓

This article reads leans right and hedges 8% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.

Texas Court Refuses to Enforce Pakistan Court's Divorce Judgment, in $100M-Marital-Community-Asset Case Same event

Reason

⚖️ Leans left further left than this Hedges 7 of 61 claims Outlet record 67/100

Sharia law ‘religious divorce’ fails to fly with Immigration and Refugee Board Different event

National Post

Hedges 2 of 43 claims Outlet record 60/100

“The articles describe two different cases involving Sharia law divorces, one in Texas and another in Canada.”

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Azhar challenged the divorce in several courts and finally the Texas Supreme Court said it does not accept the Sharia divorce and now they will have to go through an official divorce process in which Azhar will get to demand Choudhri's property.

framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-09-30

🔮 Azhar challenged the divorce in several courts and finally the Texas Supreme Court said it does not accept the Sharia divorce and now they will have to go through an official divorce process in which Azhar will get to demand Choudhri's property.

2026-09-30 · Times of India

US billionaire sent wife to Pakistan, secretly divorced her under Sharia law, paying only $50. 13 years later, Texas Supreme Court cancels foreign talaq · assertive framing

Texas Supreme Court has ruled that a divorce granted through Sharia law in Pakistan is not valid in the US state. asserted

divorce → rule → state

The ruling came in a specific case of Pakistan-origin Texas billionaire Mohammad Ali Choudhri and his wife Hira Azhar who got married in Pakistan in 2008 through an arranged marriage. asserted

who → come → marriage

In 2013, the tycoon secretly divorced Azhar in Pakistan under Sharia law. asserted

tycoon → divorce → law

Azhar → challenge → property

In the Sharia divorce, Choudhri paid only $50 to Azhar. asserted

Choudhri → pay → Azhar

Though Choudhri had lived in Texas since he was three, he traveled to Pakistan to find a bride and married 18-year-old Azhar when he was 28. asserted

he → live → Azhar

Azhar moved to Houston in 2010 after getting a visa. asserted

Azhar → move → visa

She said Choudhri was physically and emotionally abusive throughout. asserted

Choudhri → say → ?

In 2013, Choudhri sent his wife to Pakistan to get her visa renewed. asserted

visa → send → Pakistan

In her absence, Choudhri proceeded with the divorce. asserted

Choudhri → proceed → divorce

Without informing her, he published a talaq notice in a small notice in a Pakistani newspaper that Azhar did not see. asserted

Azhar → inform → that

She found out about her divorce two years later. asserted

She → find → divorce

Choudhri had to pay only $50 for the settlement. asserted

Choudhri → have → settlement

In 2015, Azhar returned to Texas and filed for divorce in Harris County which recognized the Pakistani divorce. asserted

which → return → divorce

Then she took her case to the First Court of Appeals in Houston but there too her divorce plea was not granted. asserted

plea → take → Houston

Over a decade later, the Texas Supreme Court concluded that the notice that Choudhri provided to Azhar was "constitutionally inadequate". asserted

Choudhri → conclude → Azhar

"Other countries are welcome to conclude otherwise, but their judgments are not entitled to comity in a Texas court," the court ruled. asserted

court → conclude → court

Choudhri is the founder and CEO of Jetall Capital and has acquired over $1.2 billion of real estate assets across the US, Mexico, Europe, and Dubai, according to his website. uncertain

Choudhri → acquire → website

He was arrested by US Marshals in April last year in connection to bankruptcy litigation. asserted

He → arrest → litigation

He was also sued in US court by the National Bank of Kuwait. asserted

He → sue → Kuwait

The Islamic Sharia Council in London explains that under Sharia law, the husband is supposed to first ask for an arbitration meeting. asserted

husband → explain → meeting

If reconciliation fails, "he may divorce her either verbally or in writing – known as Talaq," with two witnesses present and only "when his wife is not on her menses, and when there has been no sexual contact with her since the time of her last menses," it says. uncertain

it → fail → menses

After he pronounces the divorce, "his wife must wait for a given period of 3 months or 3 menstrual cycles. asserted

wife → pronounce → months

During this period, the wife is allowed to stay in the same house and the husband is responsible for her welfare and maintenance." asserted

husband → allow → welfare

US billionaire sent wife to Pakistan, secretly divorced her under Sharia law, paying only $50. 13 years later, Texas Supreme Court cancels foreign talaq

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