The Asim Ehsan Advocate & Legal Consultants

07/08/2026

PLJ 2026 Lahore 474

فیملی مقدمات میں غیر ضروری اور طویل جرح پر لاہور ہائیکورٹ کا انتہائی سخت ردعمل۔
The law is settled that a witness when subjected to unduly lengthy cross-examination, which also consists of many irrelevant and misdirected questions, the contradiction, if any, can lose its significance. Such type of cross-examination is repeatedly discouraged.
The purpose of cross-examination is to assist the Court in bringing the truth to light by disclosing or clarifying matters which witnesses may wish to conceal or confuse from motives of partisanship…Effective cross-examination could be confined within a narrow compass. The question must not go beyond reasonable limits.

The procedure of recording evidence is given in section 11 of the West Pakistan Family Courts Act-1964 (the ‘Family Court Act’). The second proviso of section 11 of the Family Court Act clearly provides that the Family Court may forbid any question which it regards as indecent, scandalous or frivolous or which appears to it to be intended to insult or annoy or be needlessly offensive in form.

Not merely indecent and scandalous questions are prohibited but at the same time frivolous, insulting, annoying and offensive questions can also be forbidden by the learned Family Court. The Family Court is also empowered under section 11(3-A) of the Family Court Act by itself to put questions to witnesses for the purposes of elucidation of any point which it considers material in the case. These specific provisions of law are intended to ensure that the cases arising out of the family disputes or for the guardianship of the minors should be settled while remaining within certain limits. Even otherwise, the law of evidence restricts the litigants or their pleaders from exposing the witnesses to undignified treatment and the witnesses must not suffer from humiliation or intimidation at the hands of the learned advocates for parties. The Courts, when so required, must interfere, which possess ample powers to provide protection to the witnesses when they are facing such situation.

At this stage, I would also like to highlight growing tendency, in the cases emanating out of the family jurisdiction and related matters amongst the parties of unduly prolonging the cases by (i) deviating from the law of pleadings, (ii) introducing the witnesses and evidence having no relevance and (iii) lengthening the examination, like in the present one. This as a result is defeating the very object and purpose of promulgating the statutes on these subjects. The Family Court Act is intended to establish the Courts for expeditious settlement and resolution of disputes relating to marriage, family affairs and for the matters connected therewith. The learned Family Courts are expected by legislature to resolve the disputes within six months from the date of institution. Guidelines have been given by the legislature for every step of the proceedings, starting from the pleadings.

The word “material” has been inserted in section 7(2) of the Family Court Act through the West Pakistan Ordinance No. X of 1966 dated 04.04.1966. Sub-section 2 of section 7 of the Family Court Act reads that the plaint shall contain all material facts relating to the dispute and shall contain a Schedule giving the number of witnesses intended to be produced in support of the plaint, the names and addresses of the witnesses and brief summary of the facts to which they would depose. Likewise, Order VI-Rule 2 of the Code of Civil Procedure-1908 provides that every pleading shall contain, and contain only; a statement in a concise form of the material facts on which the party pleading relies for his claim or defence, as the case may be, but not the evidence by which they are to be proved, and shall when necessary, be divided into paragraphs, numbered consecutively.

Somehow, it is becoming more common that the disputants in such matter and their pleaders are going beyond the material facts and deviating from the real disputes on the basis of which the parties do want to rest their claim(s) and they want to seek relief or deny it on the other hand. It is a principle of law that in pleadings each and every detail is not required to be mentioned. It is evidence which proves the pleadings. Mere mentioning of material facts in the pleadings is sufficient regarding which the parties are required to produce their evidence at the trial stage.

It is observed that the Family Court Act being the special law requires firm adherence, otherwise the essence and effectiveness of the law will be frustrated. The learned Family / Guardian Courts, therefore, are required to actively curb the undesireable delays instead of becoming silent spectators and permitting the parties or their pleader to frustrate very purpose of special enactment(s).
Writ Petition No. 64981 of 2025
Harris Rasheed and another Versus The Learned Guardian Judge

07/08/2026

PLJ 2026 SC 429
اگر نان ونفقہ کی ڈگری میں یہ نہ ہو کہ سالانہ اضافہ ابتدائی ڈگری کی رقم پر بوگا یا کمپاونڈ یعنی اضافہ شدہ رقم پر ہوگا تو اس صورت میں سالانہ اضافہ ابتدائی ڈگری کی رقم پر بوگا
Where the decree is silent regarding compounding,the increase or interest must be confined to the originally decreed amount and not extended to the accumulated sum, to be increased every year.

Applying the above principle to the present case, the decree does not provide that the 20% increase shall be calculated on a compound basis. The expression used in the decree does not indicate that each subsequent increase would be calculated on the enhanced amount of the previous year. In the absence of such'express stipulation, the learned Executing Court clearly fell into error by calculating the increase on a compound basis, thereby going beyond the decree. The learned Appellate Court rightly corrected this error by holding that the said 20% increase is to be calculated each year on the originally decreed amount i.e.Rs.65,000/ -

Before parting with this judgment, we deem it appropriate to observe that in matters pertaining to family maintenance, where courts exercise discretion to grant periodic increase, it is incumbent upon the Family Courts to clearly specify the mode and manner of such increase. In particular, it must be expressly stated whether such increase is to operate on a simple basis or on a compound basis. Such clarity would avoid unnecessary litigation at the ex*****on stage and ensure certainty in ex*****on of decrees.

Civil Petition for Leave to Appeal No.3204 of 2022
Muhammad Waqar Wasi VERSUS Mst. Amber Abid & others

30/07/2026

30/07/2026

30/07/2026

ادھار دی گئی رقم واپس نہ ملنے پر ایف آئی آر نہ ہوگی سپریم کورٹ نے ایف آئی آر خارج کردی ۔

2025 SCMR 1117

11/07/2026

اگر ماں یا باپ ضعیف، محتاج ہوں اور اپنی گزر بسر کے لیے آمدن نہ رکھتے ہوں، تو وہ فیملی کورٹ میں اپنے بیٹوں سے نان نفقہ (maintenance) کا دعویٰ دائر کر سکتے ہیں۔

*PLD 2026 Lahore 181.*

عدالت نے کہا کہ والدین کی کفالت صرف اخلاقی نہیں بلکہ اسلامی اصولوں کے مطابق قانونی ذمہ داری بھی ہے۔

مزید یہ بھی قرار دیا گیا کہ ایسے مقدمات فیملی کورٹ کے دائرہ اختیار میں آتے ہیں، اس لیے اگر کوئی محتاج والدین اپنے بچوں سے خرچہ مانگیں تو عدالت ان کی داد رسی کر سکتی ہے۔

06/07/2026

کیا ماں یا باپ اپنے ہی بچوں سے عدالت کے ذریعے خرچہ لے سکتے ہیں؟ لاہور ہائی کورٹ نے اس پر اہم فیصلہ دیا ہے۔

PLD 2026 Lahore 181
میں لاہور ہائی کورٹ نے واضح کیا کہ اگر ماں یا باپ ضعیف، محتاج ہوں اور اپنی گزر بسر کے لیے آمدن نہ رکھتے ہوں، تو وہ فیملی کورٹ میں اپنے بیٹوں سے نان نفقہ (maintenance) کا دعویٰ دائر کر سکتے ہیں۔ عدالت نے کہا کہ والدین کی کفالت صرف اخلاقی نہیں بلکہ اسلامی اصولوں کے مطابق قانونی ذمہ داری بھی ہے۔ مزید یہ بھی قرار دیا گیا کہ ایسے مقدمات فیملی کورٹ کے دائرہ اختیار میں آتے ہیں، اس لیے اگر کوئی محتاج والدین اپنے بچوں سے خرچہ مانگیں تو عدالت ان کی داد رسی کر سکتی ہے۔

04/07/2026

2023 SCMR 815

On the basis of a agreement to sell, no legal character or right can be established to prove the title of the property unless the title is transferred pursuant to such agreement to sell, but in case of denial or refusal by the vendor to specifically perform the agreement despite the readiness and willingness of the vendee, a suit for specific performance may be instituted in the court, but suit for declaration on the basis of a mere sale agreement is not the solution for appropriate relief

30/04/2026

*2026 PCr.LJ 638 & PLJ 2026 Cr.C.209*
ایف آئی آر بذریعہ مختار درج کرائی جاسکتی ہے اور مختار کو دیگر فوجداری کارروائی کرنیکا بھی قانونی اختیار حاصل ہے
Registration of FIR or initiation of criminal proceedings through attorney are permissible under the law.

An attorney of a person can lodge an FIR with the police and can also initiate criminal proceedings before a Court for the interest of his Principal. If the proceedings before the court were initiated by the principal, and he becomes unavailable or incapacitated, the attorney can also continue it on his behalf with the permission of the Court. Court should also encourage such practice keeping in view the hardships involved in the case to reduce delays in the criminal process which would restore the confidence of public on the courts of law for acquisition or regulation of their rights. There is no doubt that Court shall decide the matter on production of relevant evidence only that can also be recorded by using modern techniques like through online applications. Misuse of process by attorney, through registration of false FIR or filing of private complaint, can well be met through sound remedial measures including action pursuant to sections 181, 182, 211, 213 and 250 of the Pakistan Penal Code 1860. Thus, contention of learned counsel for the petitioners that FIR cannot be registered through attorney is nothing but farce.
Crl. Misc.53550/25
Mirza Yahya Baig Vs The State etc.

30/04/2026

P L D 2025 Supreme Court 469

----S. 372--- *Muslim Family Laws Ordinance* (VIII of 1961), S. 7(3)--- *Three divorces in one sitting* ---Divorce, finality of---Death of husband during Iddah period---Respondent/widow of deceased was deprived in succession certificate issued by Trial Court on the ground that she had been divorced by her husband---High Court set aside the judgment passed by Trial Court and declared respondent as widow of deceased who had died during the period of Iddah---Validity---Legislative intent in section 7(3) of Muslim Family Laws Ordinance, 1961 is to discourage hasty divorces requiring a cooling-off period which is consistent with Islamic principles---Far from being repugnant to the Islamic Injunctions, provision of section 7(3) of Muslim Family Laws Ordinance, 1961 is in harmony with the Quranic commandment found in Surah Al Baqrah, which enjoins a period of waiting and reflection before the finality of divorce---Islam has permitted dissolution of marriage in cases of necessity---This is a course strongly discouraged and disapproved in principle and the Quran prescribes a structured procedure for when divorce becomes final and absolute, which necessarily includes observance of Iddah, that is, a waiting period a woman must observe following the death of her spouse or a divorce---Iddah is not merely symbolic but serves a substantive purpose, for it allows for reflection, potential reconciliation and possible retraction of pronouncement of divorce---Recognizing Talaq-e-Biddat as immediately effective undermines such essential safeguard, depriving husband of opportunity to revisit a hasty decision and standing in clear conflict with the Quranic injunctions governing sanctity and dissolution of marriage---Written talaq pronounced by deceased husband had not become final in accordance with the injunctions of the Holy Quran nor did it fully comply with the mandatory statutory period under section 7(3) of Muslim Family Laws Ordinance, 1961---Respondent continued to remain lawful widow of her deceased husband and was entitled to inherit his estate---Supreme Court declined to interfere in judgment passed by High Court---Petition for leave to appeal was dismissed and leave to appeal was refused.
Surah Al Baqra (2:226-232) and Sura -Al-Talaq (65:1) and Mst. Rehmat Bibi v. Mst. Sharifan Bibi and others 1988 SCMR 1812 rel.

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