Suit for Recovery of Marriage Expenses
PLJ 2023 Lahore 323 · Lahore High Court
This case was about whether a father is legally required to pay for his daughter's wedding expenses, in addition to her regular maintenance.
A man divorced his wife, and their daughter grew up in her mother's custody. When the daughter got married, the mother paid Rs. 300,000 for the wedding and then sued the father to recover this amount. A Family Court ordered him to pay Rs. 150,000, and an appellate court reduced this to Rs. 100,000. The father challenged this in the Lahore High Court, arguing that since he had regularly paid maintenance for his daughter until her marriage, he should not have to pay additional marriage expenses.
The Lahore High Court dismissed his petition and upheld the Rs. 100,000 award. The court explained that under Islamic law, "maintenance" is not limited to just food, clothing, and shelter but also covers other necessary expenses for a person's wellbeing, including education, medical costs, and marriage expenses. A father's duty to maintain his daughter continues until she marries, and this includes helping bear reasonable marriage costs according to his financial means. The court also noted the father had successfully supported five other daughters from an earlier marriage without hardship, so the amount ordered was not excessive given his financial status.
This judgment matters because it clarifies that a Muslim father's financial responsibility toward his daughter extends beyond routine living expenses to include contributing to her wedding costs, reinforcing protections for daughters under family law.
یہ مقدمہ اس سوال سے متعلق تھا کہ کیا ایک باپ قانونی طور پر اپنی بیٹی کے معمول کے نان و نفقہ کے علاوہ اس کی شادی کے اخراجات ادا کرنے کا بھی پابند ہے۔
ایک شخص نے اپنی بیوی کو طلاق دے دی، اور ان کی بیٹی اپنی والدہ کی سرپرستی میں پرورش پاتی رہی۔ جب بیٹی کی شادی ہوئی تو والدہ نے شادی پر تین لاکھ روپے خرچ کیے اور پھر یہ رقم وصول کرنے کے لیے باپ کے خلاف دعویٰ دائر کر دیا۔ فیملی کورٹ نے باپ کو ایک لاکھ پچاس ہزار روپے ادا کرنے کا حکم دیا، جسے اپیلٹ عدالت نے کم کر کے ایک لاکھ روپے کر دیا۔ باپ نے اس فیصلے کو لاہور ہائی کورٹ میں چیلنج کیا اور موقف اختیار کیا کہ چونکہ وہ بیٹی کی شادی تک باقاعدگی سے اس کا نان و نفقہ ادا کرتا رہا ہے، اس لیے اسے شادی کے اضافی اخراجات ادا کرنے کا پابند نہیں کیا جانا چاہیے۔
لاہور ہائی کورٹ نے اس کی درخواست خارج کر دی اور ایک لاکھ روپے کے فیصلے کو برقرار رکھا۔ عدالت نے وضاحت