{"id":9117,"date":"2026-08-03T09:01:55","date_gmt":"2026-08-03T09:01:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/paksouch.com\/?p=9117"},"modified":"2026-08-03T09:01:56","modified_gmt":"2026-08-03T09:01:56","slug":"supreme-court-rules-child-maintenance-must-reflect-fathers-financial-capacity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/paksouch.com\/?p=9117","title":{"rendered":"Supreme Court Rules Child Maintenance Must Reflect Father’s Financial Capacity"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

ISLAMABAD:<\/strong> The Supreme Court of Pakistan has ruled that the amount of maintenance (nafaqa)<\/strong> payable for a minor child must be determined by considering the child’s reasonable needs as well as the father’s financial capacity, income, and social status<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The court further held that higher courts should interfere with maintenance amounts fixed by lower courts only when the decision is clearly arbitrary, unreasonable, or contrary to law<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ruling was issued by a two-member bench<\/strong> comprising Justice Irfan Saadat Khan<\/strong> and Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi<\/strong>, which dismissed a petition seeking leave to appeal and upheld the judgment of the Sindh High Court<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Case Background<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The petitioner, Ms. Shaheen Nawaz<\/strong>, argued before the Supreme Court that the child’s father was employed as a manager at a textile company in Bangladesh<\/strong> and earned a substantial salary. She requested the court to increase the child’s monthly maintenance allowance to Rs40,000<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the Supreme Court noted that the District Judge<\/strong>, while deciding the appeal against the Family Court’s order, had already fixed the monthly maintenance at Rs30,000<\/strong> and directed that it be increased by 15 percent annually<\/strong>. The Sindh High Court subsequently upheld that decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Court’s Observations<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In its detailed judgment, the Supreme Court observed that both the appellate court and the High Court had carefully examined the father’s income, financial resources, other family obligations, and the child’s needs before determining the maintenance amount.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The court also took note that the father is responsible for supporting two other children from his first marriage<\/strong>, which was a relevant factor in assessing his overall financial obligations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Legal Principles<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Referring to its recent judgment in Muhammad Imran Baqar v. Ms. Zarnain Arzoo (PLD 2026 SC 170)<\/strong>, the Supreme Court reiterated that a father has both a legal and moral duty<\/strong> to maintain his children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the court clarified that the amount of maintenance should be based on a balanced assessment of:<\/p>\n\n\n\n