Pindi sees unending surge in divorce cases

Approximately 9,019 family cases filed in just nine months

RAWALPINDI:

Rawalpindi district witnessed a persistent upward trend in divorce cases, family disputes, elopements, and court marriages over the past nine months, spanning from January 1 to September 30, 2023.

The surge in these cases is attributed in part to the influence of various social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube, and Messenger, which are reportedly contributing to the breakdown of traditional family structures.

During this nine-month period, a total of 9,019 family cases were filed in the family courts across the district. In response to wives who had returned to their parents’ homes, 341 husbands filed home settlement petitions.

Family courts issued 3,492 divorce decrees during this time, while 119 women were instructed to reconcile their marital lives. Additionally, 327 children who had been separated from their mothers were reunited with them, and 2,011 women were granted dowry, haq mehar, and related expenses.

Furthermore, 1,248 girls left their homes during this period, opting for court and love marriages. Currently, there are 11,231 ongoing family cases across all family courts in the district, with each family judge addressing 50 to 70 family matters daily.

The deteriorating state of the family system is primarily attributed to the increasing rates of divorces, khulas (a form of divorce initiated by the wife), and marriages occurring outside the immediate family.

Sabatin Bukhari, an expert in family cases, expressed concern that unless family elders intervene promptly and restore traditional family marriage structures, the divorce rate may continue to escalate. He pointed out that disputes often arise once the truth is revealed after love or court marriages.

Samina Bukhari Advocate added that love and court marriages often hinge on the concealment of certain facts, leading to disputes when the truth eventually surfaces.

High Court Bar Association Rawalpindi Secretary General Shaukat Mehmood Sati highlighted the vulnerability of children to the negative effects of mobile phones and early internet exposure. He also emphasised that parents sometimes exaggerate minor issues in arranged marriages. He called for measures to address the influence of Indian dramas and raised concerns about young females marrying middle-aged men, often seeking divorce shortly afterward.

In some cases, women seeking divorce are accompanied by men who appear financially prepared for a second marriage, further complicating the situation.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, October 9^th, 2023.