Pindi sees surge in runaway marriages

Experts blame social media for uptick in family disputes

RAWALPINDI:

The Rawalpindi district has seen a significant increase in family disputes, runaway marriages and elopement from January 1 to June 30 this year.

According to official data, 6,935 familial cases were registered in the district’s family courts in the first half of the year. Among these, 189 men sought legal action to reconcile with their wives who had left their homes. The courts issued 3,718 divorce decrees and ordered 61 women to return to their husbands’ homes.

Moreover, 174 children were reunited with their mothers after being taken away by their fathers. The courts ruled in favour of 115 women, ordering the provision of dowry and maintenance expenses. About 561 girls ran away from their homes and contracted marriages in courts.

The district's family courts are currently grappling with a significant backlog of 12,000 pending cases with each judge handling 50 to 65 cases daily. Notably, there has been an increase in marriages outside of family arrangements, often leading to complications that are rising by 10% to 12% annually.

The district's family courts are currently dealing with a substantial backlog of 12,000 pending cases, with each judge handling 50 to 65 cases daily. There has been a noticeable increase in marriages outside family arrangements, often leading to complications that are rising by 10% to 12% annually.

According to experts, the rising number of divorce disputes reaching court over trivial matters is mostly due to negativity spread through social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp and YouTube. Additionally, communication through messaging apps like Messenger later turning into love marriages also plays a role in this trend.

Punjab Bar Council Human Rights Committee Chairman, Advocate Asad Abbasi, has expressed concern over the increasing divorce rate in love marriages. He urged parents to guide their children to prevent marriages based on false claims. It is important to discourage the practice of mismatched marriages and restore the family system for marriages.

High Court Bar Association President, Malik Jawad Khalid said that mismatched marriages are paralysing the family system. “Giving young girls access to mobile phones and the internet is having negative consequences. In love marriages, minor disagreements are often escalated by families and young couples, being impatient and frequently threatening each other with separation. The divorce is granted immediately if it is based on khula.”

Retired District and Sessions Judge Shaukat Ali Sajid said that family cases sensitive matters and require a careful approach. He highlighted that while new laws enable judges to issue divorce decrees based on file records, family judges should provide opportunities for couples to communicate directly instead of immediately disposing of cases.

“Ego is a primary driver for quarrels and divorces among the couples,” he said.