Pindi courts see increased family reunions

Parents urge more meeting rooms, extra time for meet-ups with kids

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RAWALPINDI:

The number of meetings between divorced couples and their children at the Rawalpindi Judicial Complex has witnessed an increase in January 2025 as up to 50 such meetings are taking place a day.

Divorced parents have requested an extension of the meeting time and additional meeting rooms. Due to the higher number of couples attending, parents are now forced to wait for hours to meet their children.

Furthermore, there is no safe waiting area outside the Judicial Complex. In bad weather conditions such as rain, intense heat, or cold, parents have to wait in the judicial hallways far from the meeting centre.

Along with the divorced parents, the children are often accompanied by their grandparents, uncles, aunts, and other relatives. These relatives bring gifts, toys, sweets, clothes, juices, and fruits to please the children and win their affection, feeding them by hand. Each meeting lasts between 40 minutes and one hour, with six families allowed to meet at a time.

Parents have requested an additional room, similar to the existing meeting centre, or an extension of the meeting duration to two hours. They have also suggested allowing the children to be taken to their home for a special day.

Mohammad Tufail says the couple were divorced a year ago and his son lives in Dubai. He adds he, the son's grandparents and aunt visit him. "The meeting arrangements are satisfactory, but they wish time to be extended for the meeting."

Naveed Ahmed says he had been divorced two and a half years ago but feels immense regret. The divorce was caused by anger and disputes, and now he feels remorse.

Ahmed says he has two children, who are also suffering mentally, urging other couples involved in legal disputes to let go of their pride and anger to avoid causing harm to themselves and their children. He is of the view that no second marriage could ever replace the first one.

The number of meetings between estranged parents and children is expected to rise significantly from the 1st of Ramazan until Eidul Fitr next month.