South Africa’s top court ruled Thursday that men should be able to take their wives’ surnames and a law that prevented this amounted to unfair gender discrimination.

The Constitutional Court said the legal ban served no legitimate government purpose and was suspended, paving the way for parliament to enact amendments to the legislation.

While men were deprived of the ability to take their wives’ surnames, the discrimination was “far more insidious” for women, the ruling said.

It “reinforces patriarchal gender norms, which prescribe how women may express their identity, and it makes this expression relational to their husband, as a governmental and cultural default,” it said.

The case was brought to court by two couples, one of which wanted to honour the woman’s parents, who died when she was young.

In the other case, the woman wanted to keep her ties to her family surname as she was an only child.

Previously, men would have to apply to the home affairs department to change their surname, a request that was not automatically granted.

Provisions allowing men to assume their wives’ surname on marriage are already in place in other countries, mainly in Europe and in certain US states.

• Sanitisation operation underway to clear remaining threats.
• ISPR vows to eliminate Indian-sponsored terrorism.
• Security forces reaffirm nation’s resolve against terrorism.

Security forces on Friday eliminated four terrorists belonging to the Indian proxy, Fitna al Hindustan, during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Balochistan’s Mastung.

During the conduct of the operation, the security personnel effectively engaged the terrorists’ location, and after an intense fire exchange, four Indian-sponsored terrorists were neutralised, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement. 

Weapons, ammunition and explosives were also recovered from the terrorists, who remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities in the area.

The security forces were conducting a sanitisation operation to eliminate any other terrorists found in the area, it added.

The security forces “are determined to wipe out the menace of Indian sponsored terrorism from the country, and reaffirm the nation’s unwavering resolve to bring the perpetrators of terrorism to justice”, it concluded.

Pakistan has witnessed a surge in cross-border terror incidents since Taliban rulers returned to Afghanistan in 2021, particularly in the bordering provinces of KP and Balochistan.

The country witnessed a sharp escalation in militant attacks in August, with incidents surging by 74% compared to July, according to a report by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS).

The Islamabad-based think tank recorded 194 fatalities from militant attacks during the month.

Meanwhile, in an alarming disclosure, government officials have disclosed that there are more than 8,000 Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), declared “Fitna al-Khawarij”, terrorists in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The terrorists, the officials added, have crossed into the country from neighbouring Afghanistan via lesser-known routes through the porous border and are present in Peshawar, Tank, Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Swat, Shangla and merged districts.

Saying that the militants set up checkpoints on the CPEC Road, DI Khan-Bannu Road and in Tank, the officials said that the terrorists take refuge in the general population and attack security forces.

KP, as per the police report, has witnessed more than 600 terrorism incidents in the first eight months of 2025.

There were 605 terror incidents in the province till August, which resulted in the martyrdom of 138 civilians, while 352 others were left wounded.

Whereas 79 police personnel were martyred and 130 were injured, the report added.

The 77th Emmy Awards are on Sunday, airing on CBS. Topping the comedy category is “The Studio” with 23 nominations. Meanwhile, in the drama category, “Severance” snagged 27 nominations. “CBS Mornings” co-host Gayle King previews the star-studded night with “Entertainment Tonight” co-host Nischelle Turner, who shares her predictions.