Maintenance & Financial Support

Maintenance and financial support obligations in Pakistan arise from multiple legal sources. The Muslim Family Laws Ordinance 1961, the Family Courts Act 1964, the Pakistan Penal Code 1860, and the Qisas and Diyat Ordinance 1990 all contain provisions governing the duty of family members to support one another. Our Maintenance & Financial Support practice represents spouses, children, and parents seeking financial support from those legally obligated to provide it, as well as individuals defending against excessive or unjustified claims. We handle matters before Family Courts, District Courts, High Courts, and criminal courts where maintenance default attracts penal consequences.

Under Pakistani law, a husband is obligated to maintain his wife during the subsistence of the marriage and during the iddat period following divorce. The quantum of maintenance is determined by the Family Court based on the husband's means and the wife's needs, and courts have held that maintenance includes food, clothing, housing, medical expenses, and other necessities. Children are entitled to maintenance from their father until they attain majority or complete their education, and parents may claim maintenance from children under Muslim personal law and the provisions of the Pakistan Penal Code 1860 relating to the abandonment of dependents.

Our practice encompasses the full range of maintenance and financial support remedies. We file maintenance claims before Family Courts, pursue execution of maintenance decrees through attachment of salary, property, or imprisonment for default, and handle appeals before the High Courts. We also advise on the interaction between maintenance obligations and other family law matters including custody, property division, and inheritance. Whether you are seeking support or responding to a claim, our approach is grounded in a precise understanding of Pakistani case law and statutory provisions.