Rawalpindi:
A record number of new family disputes was presented in Rawalpindi’s family courts during the first quarter of 2025, from January 1 to March 31.
A total of 1,451 new cases were recorded, including disputes over the alimony, the custody of the children, the dowry (Haq Mehr) and the dowry return items.
In addition, 41 husbands approached the courts that sought orders to bring separate wives that had left their homes.
For the first time, 21 Christian women also requested divorces after legal reforms that now allow Christian women to seek divorce or separation without going through the previously required and complex cancellation process.
During the three -month period, the courts issued 106 divorce decrees based on Khula (separation initiated by the wife) and ordered 310 husbands or parents to pay expenses for their wives and children.
The courts also ordered the reunification of 13 separate couples and returned 75 children from paternal custody to their mothers.
According to judicial sources, five new family cases are presented daily, sometimes reaching 15-20 cases per day.
The courts also helped reconcile 55 couples, which resulted in cases of cases.
The defenders of the Family Law cited the increase in the use of social networks (Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok, Messenger and YouTube) as an important factor that contributes to the breakdown of marriages.
According to reports, the availability of modern smartphones for adolescents has led to a 50 percent increase in love marriages and marriages.
Lawyer Sabtain Bukhari said family marriages must be encouraged again.
While marrying outside the family is not wrong, parents must carefully examine the possible spouses.
He stressed that marriages based on lies tend not to last, especially in the case of fugitive love marriages, which often collapse within six months to one year.
The secretary of the Secretary of the Cellular of Human Rights, Tayyaba Abbasi, urged that, although girls should have access to mobile phones, their use must be monitored. She recommended encouraging education and marriages approved by the family.
He added that many women discover after marriage that their spouses, who claimed to be accommodated or employees, are unemployed or involved in minor crimes, leading to family breakdowns.
Legal experts suggested strict measures, such as establishing a minimum dowry of RS2.5 million and monthly maintenance of RS15,000 in case of love marriages, with an additional RS500,000 to women in case of divorce.
They believe that such reforms could help stop the growing trend of broken families.
