High court proposes stricter penalties for unregistered marriages in its report Redefining Access to Justice 2025
Police officers walk past Pakistan’s Supreme Court building, in Islamabad, Pakistan, April 6, 2022. REUTERS
The Supreme Court has outlined key family law reforms, including revising the Nikah Nama to include a column for dowry articles and proposing stricter penalties for unregistered marriages, as part of its broader judicial reform agenda detailed in its Redefining Access to Justice 2025 report.
Under family law reforms, the apex court has recommended clearly defining key terms such as “maintenance” and “dowry” in the Muslim Family Laws Ordinance (MFLO) 1961 to remove ambiguities that often lead to inconsistent rulings in family courts. The reforms also propose tougher penalties for unregistered marriages to strengthen legal protection for women and ensure accountability in marital matters.
The report further suggests allowing transfer of family law cases to Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) to streamline procedures and improve case management across jurisdictions.
The Redefining Access to Justice 2025 report highlights that family law reforms are part of an inclusive legal reform process involving senior lawyers, judges and the Advisory Committee on Legal Reforms, which is leading multiple legal modernization initiatives.
In addition to legal reforms, the Supreme Court has also prioritized digital transformation to improve transparency and public accessibility. More than 16,000 e-filings, 7,200 e-affidavits and more than 24,000 certified copies have been processed electronically across all records, while 54,473 judgments have been digitized for archival purposes with QR code authentication and NADRA integration for verified credentials.
A National Judicial Information Dashboard now provides real-time case monitoring, and a public facilitation system, including an online feedback portal, an anti-corruption hotline and information centers, has been launched to strengthen citizen participation.
Through these judicial and digital reforms, the Supreme Court aims to build a justice system that is transparent, accessible and responsive to contemporary social realities.
