Courts struggle with surge in divorced couples

Lack of adequate infrastructure adds to their troubles

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RAWALPINDI:

The number of divorced couples meeting their children in court in Rawalpindi district has increased alarmingly.

As a result, the court has had to arrange for family meetings daily. Previously, divorced couples with children would meet their grandparents, aunts and uncles four or five days a month, however the meetings have now a daily occurrence due to the surge in cases.

Currently, 10 to 15 couples meet at the Family Facilitation Centres daily, while 30 to 40 divorced couples spend time with their children on weekends. The number of divorced couples in the Rawalpindi district has exceeded 10,000.

Heart-breaking scenes unfold daily at the Family Facilitation Centre in the Rawalpindi Judicial Complex. The existing issues and lack of facilities at the centre only add to people's troubles. People, children and applicants are visibly stressed and anxious in the freezing cold weather.

The centre lacks a waiting room, and the cement-tile benches are broken and cold. As a result, women, elderly grandparents and young children are exposed to harsh weather conditions, making them susceptible to various illnesses. There is no protection from the sun, rain or cold outside the centre either. Visitors are forced to seek refuge in the open verandas of the courts. Furthermore, parents often arrive late with their children to the meetings, causing other family members to wait for longer periods of time.

After a divorce, most children typically live with their mothers or grandmothers. In cases where women have remarried after divorce, the children often stay with their grandparents. These grandparents also come for these meetings. The parents bring various valuable gifts and items such as clothes, sweaters, coats, cars, cash, small bicycles, glasses, mobile phones and food and beverages like juice, burgers and pizza. As they spend time with the children, they give them meals and cash.

Meetings between separated children and their parents last one hour. However, by providing offerings to the supervising staff, these meetings can be extended to 1.5 hours. During these meetings, only one party is present at a time, and they wait outside.

A father, Fayyazullah, expressed his distress, saying that he has been divorced for three years and has two children. He described these meetings as extremely painful, revealing that his divorce resulted from minor quarrels, which he now deeply regrets.

Gulzar Ahmed mentioned that his son is in Dubai and that he is a grandfather, with the children staying with their mother. He expressed concern about the lack of proper systems in place, saying, "We face disgrace here." He noted that if they arrive at nine o'clock, the meetings are often scheduled for one or two o'clock. He highlighted the need for a larger facility centre that can accommodate fifteen to twenty families, allowing them to meet with their children simultaneously. Additionally, he stressed that arrangements should be made to protect visitors from the rain, sun and cold weather.