Woman’s plea for dower payment dismissed over forgery

Forensic report shows Haq Mehar changed from Rs10,000 to Rs10m

LAHORE:

A family court dismissed a woman’s suit for recovery of dower from her overseas Pakistani husband after a forensic report proved tampering with the Nikahnama to converted the amount of Haq Mehar from Rs10,000 to Rs10 million.

With follow up by the Lahore High Court’s Overseas Cell, the family court decided the suit after hearing detailed arguments and relying upon evidence, including the forensic report.

The petitioner, Tayyaba Mumtaz, had sought the recovery of Rs10 million, 13-tola gold jewellery and a one-kanal house from the respondent Shah Zaib Chishti.

The petitioner’s counsel implored the court that at the time of solemnisation of Nikah the Haq Mehar of the plaintiff was fixed as mentioned in the Column-13 of the Nikahnama.

He argued that the respondent had not challenged anywhere the entry in the column through an independent suit, which showed that he had admitted the entry.

He argued that the petitioner had presented two vital witnesses, the Nikah Khawan and Nikah registration clerk.

He claimed that the petitioner had not made any tampering and it had been made with the connivance of the defendant.

The respondent’s counsel claimed that the Haq Mehar had been fixed as Rs10,000 but the petitioner with the connivance of the Nikah Khawan had changed the figure to Rs10 million.

He implored the court that the respondent had never been given pert of the Nikahnama despite repeated requests. He argued that the respondent had presented two pictures and a USB showing that at the time of signature by the bride, the figure Rs10,000 was visible in the column.

He said the original Nikahnama and Pert-2 and 4 were sent to the Punjab Forensic Science Agency (PFSA) for comparison with regard to forgery.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 20^th, 2022.