Courts flooded with khula, divorce cases
A record 342 cases seeking divorce and khula (dissolution) have been filed in family courts across the Rawalpindi district just in one week as courts resumed after the summer break.
These cases have been filed in family courts seeking a divorce, khula, dowry, custody of children, expenses of children and extradition of children. The hearing of these cases has begun.
It transpired that a large number of women and newly married girls have sought khula and divorce. Several young girls, who reportedly ran away from homes and tied the knot in absence of their family members, have also sought khula or divorce.
According to the record, over 5,500 cases have been filed in all family courts across the Rawalpindi district since January 1.
On the other hand, 12 men have also filed pleas seeking reconciliation with their estranged wives. A total of 460 men also filed cases seeking to patch up with their estranged wives.
A majority of the women and girls, who have opted for khula and divorce have accused their husbands of abusing and torturing them besides failing to bear household expenses
Sources in family courts said that up to 300 such cases were already pending in all 32 family courts in the Rawalpindi district, the new cases will pile up.
One of the plaintiffs, a 21-year-old girl, Laiba Mastoor, who showed up in court seeking khula, said that she had met her husband Faisal Qayyum via Facebook and they became friends. She said that she fell in love with him and married him. However, she said after marriage, it transpired that he was unemployed, uneducated and had no other means to manage household expenses.
She said that this resulted in quarrels and wranglings between the couple almost on a daily basis. She said that she will not demand her Haq-e- Maher worth Rs200,000 and get khula.
Prior to summer vacations, family courts issued 2,114 degrees of khula and divorce to women while men were ordered to pay monthly expenses to children and estranged wives in 2,891 cases.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 7th, 2022.