Jan 2026 sees surge in family cases

Nearly 1,000 cases filed in a month as divorce, child custody disputes rise sharply

RAWALPINDI:

The first month of the New Year, from January 1 to 31, 2026, witnessed a record surge in family cases in the family courts of Rawalpindi district.

According to official figures, a total of 983 cases were filed in family courts across the district during the first month of the year.

In all these cases, family judges issued notices to the husbands of the women concerned and summoned them to court. During the same period, 67 husbands also filed cases seeking reconciliation with wives who had gone to their parental homes after disputes.

In January alone, family courts across the district issued 31 divorce decrees. In 17 divorce cases, compromises were reached through fresh affidavits and written undertakings, including affidavits regarding jewellery and maintenance expenses. Additionally, 21 children who had been taken from their mothers were recovered from the custody of fathers and grandparents and handed back to their mothers.

In 241 cases, courts issued interim maintenance orders in favour of women and children, while in 11 cases, husbands were directed to pay dowry-related expenses.

During the same period, 14 Christian women also approached the courts seeking divorce under the new Christian Family Law.

From January 1 to January 31, 27 women were sent to Darul Aman (shelter homes), while 31 women were later allowed to return home from the shelters.

Marriages based on falsehoods failed, while love marriages involving TikTok personalities reportedly collapsed within six to ten months.

District Bar Association President Tariq Mahmood said that family disputes had become an extremely sensitive issue and required special attention from elders within families. He emphasised the need to promote marriages within families and traditional family systems. He warned that social media had badly affected the younger generation, stating that those who treated education and skills as a path to progress succeeded, while those who considered TikTok as their sole means of advancement not only ruined themselves but also brought disgrace to their families.