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This case dealt with what happens when a wife directly files a criminal complaint against her husband for contracting a second marriage without her permission and without seeking the required approval of the Arbitration Council under the Muslim Family Laws Ordinance, 1961.
The wife complained that her husband had remarried without her consent and had not even applied to the Union Council for permission, as required by law. A trial court initially returned her complaint, directing her to approach the Union Council instead. On appeal, however, the appellate court set aside that order and sent the case back for the wife's statement to be recorded. The husband then approached the High Court, arguing that the law only allowed the Union Council itself to initiate such proceedings, not a private individual like his wife.
The Sindh High Court agreed with the husband. It held that Section 6 of the Muslim Family Laws Ordinance does not permit a private person to file a complaint on behalf of the Union Council; only the Union Council has jurisdiction over polygamy-related violations. Since the wife's private complaint lacked lawful authority, allowing it to continue would be a pointless exercise and an abuse of court process. The Court therefore quashed the proceedings pending before the trial court.
This case clarifies that complaints about unauthorized second marriages must go through the Union Council process, not be pursued as private criminal complaints by wives themselves.
یہ مقدمہ اس صورتحال سے متعلق ہے جب کوئی بیوی اپنے شوہر کے خلاف براہ راست فوجداری شکایت درج کرواتی ہے کہ اس نے مسلم فیملی لاز آرڈیننس، 1961 کے تحت مطلوبہ اجازت کے بغیر اور بغیر ثالثی کونسل کی منظوری حاصل کیے دوسری شادی کر لی ہے۔
بیوی کا مؤقف تھا کہ اس کے شوہر نے اس کی رضامندی کے بغیر دوسری شادی کر لی اور قانون کے تقاضے کے مطابق یونین کونسل سے اجازت لینے کے لیے درخواست تک نہیں دی۔ ٹرائل کورٹ نے ابتدائی طور پر اس کی شکایت واپس کر دی اور اسے ہدایت کی کہ وہ اس کے بجائے یونین کونسل سے رجوع کرے۔ تاہم اپیل پر اپیلٹ کورٹ نے یہ حکم کالعدم قرار دے دیا اور مقدمہ واپس بھیج دیا تاکہ بیوی کا بیان قلم بند کیا جا سکے۔ اس کے بعد شوہر نے ہائی کورٹ سے رجوع کیا اور مؤقف اختیار کیا کہ قانون کے تحت صرف یونین کونسل ہی کو ایسی کارروائی شروع کرنے کا اختیار حاصل ہے، نہ کہ اس کی بیوی جیسے کسی نجی فرد کو۔
سندھ ہائی کورٹ نے ش
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Citation Name : 2010 MLD 470 KARACHI-HIGH-COURT-SINDH Side Appellant : ATIQ-UR-REHMAN Side Opponent : Mst. SADIA S.6—West Pakistan Rules under the Muslim Family Laws Ordinance, 1961, R. 21—Criminal Procedure Code (V of 1898), S.561-A—Polygamy- –Quashing of proceedings, application for—Respondent/ complainant wife in her complaint had alleged that applicant/husband had contracted second marriage without her prior permission and consent—Wife had also alleged that husband had not even filed any application to the Nazim Union Council for obtaining permission of Arbitration Council—Complaint was returned by the Civil Judge and Judicial Magistrate, with the direction to file same before the Union Council concerned— Appellate Court however, set aside order of the Trial Court and remanded the’ complaint with the directions to record the statement of wife—Husband who filed application for quashing of the proceedings had contended that provisions of S.6 of Muslim Family Laws Ordinance, 1961 did not contemplate an action on behalf of private person, which could only be initiated on behalf of the Union Council—Validity—As to what had been provided under the law, had to be followed in the same manner and an aggrieved party could avail normal. remedies by approaching the Trial Court—Notwithstanding, it was not the intention of lawmakers that an aggrieved party under S.6(5) of the Muslim Family Laws Ordinance, 1961 should approach the court of law for redress, except that Union Council would have the jurisdiction over the subject in the event of Polygamy as said section did not contemplate delegation of authority to the private person for initiating an action on behalf of the Union Council—In the present case, proceedings initiated by the Trial Court in the complaint of wife, were found to be devoid of lawful authority, it would be an exercise in futile to allow the private complaint to linger on which would tantamount to be patent illegality and flagrant abuse of process of law—Bar existed in entertaining a private complaint directly filed by the wife against the husband, which would amount to violation of the principles of justice, and required interference for exercise of power of quashing the proceedings–Impugned order was set aside and proceedings pending before the Trial Court were directed to be quashed.