LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) has upheld a family court decree directing a businessman to pay Rs100,000 per month to each of his three daughters along with their educational expenses, ruling that a father cannot evade his financial obligations by concealing his assets and income.

Dismissing a petition filed by Sohail Zarar Ali Khan, Justice Raheel Kamran observed, “Children cannot be made to suffer because of strained relations between their parents.”

In a detailed judgment, the judge observed that the petitioner had attempted to understate his financial status despite overwhelming evidence showing that he possessed substantial resources.

The judge noted that while the petitioner had denied owning companies and properties in his written statement, his cross-examination revealed that he was a director and shareholder in several businesses, owned agricultural land, operated business ventures and held foreign nationality.

LHC upholds family court verdict, rules father can’t evade financial responsibility by hiding assets

Justice Kamran held that where a father is legally bound to maintain his children, his financial capacity, assets and earning potential are material considerations in determining maintenance.

He observed that if a parent deliberately withholds information about his income and resources, an adverse inference can legitimately be drawn against him.

Ms Laleen Ali Khan filed a suit seeking maintenance for herself and her three daughters, recovery of deferred dower and compensation for dowry articles allegedly retained by her former husband.

The family court awarded each daughter Rs100,000 per month in maintenance from January 2017, along with educational expenses and a 10 per cent annual increase.

The mother was awarded Rs30,000 per month maintenance from January 2017 until the expiry of herIddatperiod.

The father challenged the decree, arguing that the maintenance amount was excessive and beyond his means.

The mother had presented evidence showing that the daughters had been studying at an international school of Islamabad, where annual tuition fees exceeding $55,000 had been paid.

Justice Kamran noted that the educational expenses reflected the standard of living the children had enjoyed before the marital dispute and that a father could not reduce that standard merely because the children were now residing with their mother.

The judge said the maintenance must correspond to the children’s needs, social background, educational requirements and the father’s financial standing.

The judge criticised the father’s conduct, observing that despite possessing significant means, he had resisted the maintenance claims of his daughters on grounds that were not supported by the record.

Addressing the wife’s maintenance claim, Justice Kamran ruled that dissolution of marriage throughkhuladid not retrospectively extinguish her right to maintenance during the subsistence of marriage.

The judge accepted the wife’s stance that she had separated due to alleged physical, mental and financial abuse, as well as the petitioner’s second marriage.

The judge noted that the petitioner had failed to establish that he had obtained the required permission before contracting a second marriage.

He said non-payment of deferred dower, which became immediately payable upon the second marriage, constituted a lawful justification for the wife to live separately.

The judge upheld the appellate court’s decision awarding Rs500,000 as the alternate value of dowry articles.

On the issue of deferred dower, the judge rejected the petitioner’s claim that the amount had already been paid, noting that no convincing documentary evidence had been produced.

Emphasising the welfare of women and children in family disputes, Justice Kamran ruled that technical objections should not be used to defeat lawful entitlements.

Finding no illegality, misreading of evidence or jurisdictional defect in the judgments of the courts below, the LHC judge dismissed the petition and upheld the maintenance, dower and dowry awards.

Published in Dawn, June 11th, 2026