Father is not entitled for child custody in case of common law marriage

Citation Name : 2011 PLD 423 LAHORE-HIGH-COURT-LAHORE Side Appellant : ROSHNI DESAI Side Opponent : JAHANZEB NIAZI Custody of minor---Common Law marriage by parents of the minor---Question of minor's custody has to be addressed by reference to his status under the applicable Pakistan law, more appropriately the Islamic law, which does not recognize a Common Law marriage or partnership as a valid marriage with the result that a child born to parents, having a Common Law marriage, is born outside marriage and cannot be regarded as a legitimate child ---Under Islamic Law, father of an illegitimate child has no legal tie with the child even though he is the biological father and the blood tie between the two is undisputed---Mother of an illegitimate child is not only entitled to the custody of the child but is also regarded as the guardian of the child to the total exclusion of the father---Non-Muslin mother suffers no disability as Islamic Law allows a non-Muslim mother to exercise the same rights of custody as are enjoyed by a Muslim mother---Principles.