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ISLAMABAD, Apr 14 (APP):A Senate sub-committee on Monday approved the Family Courts (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which requires family courts to set a monthly maintenance amount for divorcees and their children at the first hearing of a case.
The bill was moved by Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri and aims to reduce the impact of prolonged divorce cases on women with no source of income.
The meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Law and Justice’s Sub-Committee was held here on Monday which was chaired by the Senator Zamir Hussain Ghumro.
The session reviewed the bill which had first been introduced in the Senate on September 9, 2024.
Committee members agreed that unresolved divorce cases in Family Courts often leave women and children without financial support for years. They pointed out that most affected women in the country lack independent income and face serious financial difficulties during court proceedings.
Senator Zehri explained that about 90 percent of women in the country do not earn independently, and delays in maintenance decisions deepen their financial troubles. She said the bill aims to make courts set a fixed maintenance amount early on, to provide immediate relief.
The proposed law mandates courts to determine maintenance at the initial hearing. If the defendant fails to pay by the 14th of each month, their right to present a defense will be withdrawn. In that case, courts can pass a decision based on the complainant’s claims and documents.
The Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Law and Justice noted that similar legal changes have already taken effect in Punjab. He added that the Ministry’s role applies only to federal-level matters.
Senator Ghumro, who chaired the meeting, referred to Article 35 of the Constitution, which assigns the State the responsibility of protecting families, especially women and children. He said that failure to ensure financial support during divorce proceedings harms vulnerable families and weakens social protections.
Senator Anusha Rahman Ahmad Khan, who attended the meeting, backed the proposed law. She praised the initiative and urged the introduction of more such proposals to protect women’s rights.
Both Senator Ghumro and Senator Rahman expressed full support for the bill at the conclusion of the meeting. The sub-committee passed it unanimously and sent it to the main Senate committee for further processing before it moves to the full House.