Over 10,000 divorce cases among 15,198 new family cases have been filed in 44 family courts since January 1
Rawalpindi district court. PHOTO: FILE
The centuries-old tradition of family-arranged marriages in Rawalpindi district is facing an unprecedented crisis, largely attributed to the pervasive influence of social media platforms, including TikTok, Facebook, YouTube, and Messenger, which have pushed the family system to the brink of collapse.
From January 1 to date this year, a total of 15,198 new cases and petitions—including divorce, khula, family disputes, maintenance claims, recovery of dowry articles, household expenses, and child custody matters—have been filed in the district’s 44 family courts. During the same period, the number of women obtaining divorce has surged alarmingly to 10,572 cases.
Following amendments to Christian Family Law, a significant increase has also been observed in divorce petitions filed by Christian women. Previously, Christian women could not obtain divorce directly; however, since the legal change, 104 Christian women have approached family courts this year seeking dissolution of marriage.
Read: Maryam warns LHC order suspending property law will help land mafia
During this period, courts ordered 152 estranged women to return from their parental homes to their matrimonial residences to rebuild their families. Meanwhile, within the jurisdictions of 34 police stations across the district, 1,205 girls and women reportedly left their homes and entered into court marriages.
The rising divorce rate has also resulted in a record increase in court-ordered family visitations between children and estranged parents. According to court data, 70 to 75 per cent of divorced women had entered marriages described as mismatched, involving out-of-family unions, love marriages, elopements, or relationships formed through social media platforms.
Over the course of the year, following domestic disputes, 217 children who had been separated from their mothers were recovered from fathers or grandparents and restored to maternal custody. Additionally, 671 women were granted the return of their dowry articles, while 9,811 women received court orders ensuring the payment of monthly maintenance by their husbands.
The continuous rise in family litigation has placed immense pressure on the judicial system, with each family court hearing more than 100 cases daily. Simultaneously, a shortage of family court judges has begun to emerge. Informal dispute-resolution mechanisms, including jirga-style arrangements and facilitation centres, have largely remained ineffective, failing to resolve family disputes outside court.
As a result of the overwhelming caseload, district courts in Rawalpindi and all tehsil courts witness daily crowds of women accompanied by young children. At present, approximately 16,000 family cases—both new and pending—are under trial across the district. Proceedings are expected to resume following the winter court recess.
Also Read: ECC proposes uniform tariff to wipe out debt
Family law expert Mehran Anwar Ijaz Chaudhry, Advocate, emphasised the urgent need to revive the traditional family-based marriage system. He advised against granting complete autonomy to children through unrestricted mobile phone use up to matriculation level, stressing that while mobile phones are a necessity, their late-night and unsupervised use must be curtailed. He further called for heightened parental supervision of girls from Grade 9 to intermediate level.
Meanwhile, Taiba Abbasi, Advocate, Secretary of the Human Rights Association, said that family disputes triggered by social media interactions are becoming an increasingly grave social problem. She argued that early marriages within family structures could help curb the trend, adding that ease of divorce under current laws has also encouraged women to approach courts at the first sign of conflict.
Abbasi warned that the situation poses a serious threat to societal stability, calling for the establishment of a structured, out-of-court family dispute resolution system—from the national level down to union councils—staffed by retired male and female judges.
Such forums, she suggested, should focus on reconciliation and be empowered to issue binding decisions to prevent unnecessary divorces. Without such reforms, she cautioned, the family justice system could face complete collapse within the next five to 10 years.
