Resources
Guides to Pakistani family law
Plain-language guides by Advocate Muhammad Iqbal Khan. All articles are marked Draft pending advocate review until personally reviewed.
Custody, Guardianship and Adoption
- Adoption in Pakistan: How the Process Works
There is no single dedicated adoption statute in Pakistan — adoptions are generally processed through the guardian court… - Child Custody in Pakistan: A Complete Parent's Guide
When parents separate, the question of who a child will live with is decided by one overriding principle: the welfare of… - Custody for Overseas Pakistani Parents: A Practical Guide
Living abroad does not end a parent's custody rights — but it does demand careful planning. This guide for overseas Paki… - Guardianship Certificates in Pakistan: When and How to Obtain One
When you need formal legal authority to act for a minor — for property, bank matters, or official documentation — a guar… - Visitation Rights in Pakistan: Schedules and Staying Connected with Your Child
A child's relationship with both parents does not end when a marriage does. This guide explains visitation rights in Pak…
Cyber and Banking Matters
- Banking Courts in Pakistan: What Borrowers and Lenders Should Know
Banking courts are special courts for disputes between banks or financial institutions and their customers, most often l… - Cheque Bounced in Pakistan: Your Legal Options
When a cheque is returned unpaid by the bank, the law gives the unpaid person meaningful remedies. This guide explains w… - How to File a Cybercrime Complaint with the FIA in Pakistan
If you have been harassed, scammed, blackmailed, or impersonated online, the FIA's cybercrime wing can receive your comp… - Someone Made a Fake Social Media Account in Your Name: What to Do
Discovering a fake social media account impersonating you is alarming, especially if it contacts your friends or scams p… - Online Fraud and Blackmail: What to Do If You Are Targeted
Being targeted by an online scammer or blackmailer is frightening, but calm and quick action protects you far better tha…
Divorce and Khula
- Contested vs Mutual Divorce: Which Path Is Right for You?
Divorce in Pakistan can be mutual, where both spouses agree and settle terms together, or contested, where the court mus… - Divorce Confirmation Certificate and NADRA Registration
After a divorce in Pakistan, getting it officially confirmed and registered is essential. This guide explains the Union … - Divorce in Pakistan: The Complete Guide
Divorce in Pakistan can be initiated by the husband, the wife through khula, or by both spouses together. This complete … - Khula Procedure in Pakistan: A Step-by-Step Guide for Wives
Khula is a wife's legal right in Pakistan to seek dissolution of marriage through the family court when she can no longe… - Talaq Notice Procedure: What a Husband Must Do
A husband who pronounces divorce in Pakistan must give written notice to the Union Council, which then attempts reconcil…
Maintenance, Dower and Dowry
- Child Maintenance in Pakistan: A Complete Parent's Guide
A father in Pakistan remains legally responsible for maintaining his minor children, whether the parents are together or… - Dowry Articles Recovery in Pakistan: Getting Back What Is Yours
Dowry articles given to a bride at marriage are her property under Pakistani law — not her husband's, and not her in-law… - Interim Maintenance in Pakistan: Financial Support While Your Case Is Pending
Family cases take time — but your family's needs cannot wait. Interim maintenance is the temporary support a family cour… - Mehr (Dower) Recovery in Pakistan: Claiming What Is Rightfully Yours
Mehr is the dower a husband undertakes to give his wife under the marriage contract — and it is her exclusive legal righ… - How to Claim Wife Maintenance (Kharcha) in Pakistan — A Complete Guide
Under Pakistani family law, a husband is legally bound to maintain his wife for as long as the marriage subsists. This g…
Marriage and Court Marriage
- Court Marriage Procedure in Karachi: A Practical Guide for Couples
What people call a “court marriage” is a nikah solemnized in a formal setting with proper witnesses and documentation. T… - Dower (Mehr) in Pakistani Law: What Every Couple Should Know
The mehr is the wife’s exclusive, legally enforceable right under the marriage contract. This guide explains prompt vs. … - Registering Your Marriage in Pakistan: From Nikahnama to the NADRA Certificate
The nikah is only the first step: the marriage must be registered with the Union Council, computerized, and certified by… - The Nikahnama Explained: A Couple’s Guide to the Marriage Contract
The nikahnama is the written marriage contract and the most important document a couple will sign. This guide explains i… - Second Marriage While the First Subsists: The Permission Requirement in Pakistan
A husband who wishes to remarry while his first marriage subsists must first obtain permission through the Union Council…
Overseas Pakistanis
- Inheritance Rights for Overseas Pakistanis
When a parent or relative passes away in Pakistan, overseas family members remain full legal heirs - distance does not r… - How a Remote Legal Consultation Works
A remote legal consultation is a scheduled conversation with an advocate conducted by phone or video call rather than an…
Property and Civil Matters
- Filing a Civil Suit in Pakistan: What to Expect
Filing a court case can feel overwhelming if you've never done it. This guide demystifies the civil suit process in Paki… - Injunction Orders in Pakistan: Stopping Harm Before It Happens
When someone is about to sell your property, build on your land, or destroy what you need for your case, waiting years f… - Possession of Property in Pakistan: Your Rights and Remedies
Possession disputes — being thrown out of your property or dealing with someone who won't leave — are among the most urg… - Property Disputes in Karachi: How to Protect Your Rights
Karachi's fast-moving property market generates a steady stream of disputes — defective titles, encroachments, possessio… - Rent Disputes in Sindh: A Guide for Landlords and Tenants
Renting in Sindh works well when both sides understand their rights — and breaks down painfully when they don't. This gu…
Succession and Inheritance
- Daughters' Inheritance Rights in Pakistan: What the Law Says
A daughter in Pakistan is a full legal heir who cannot be written out of her parents' estate. This guide explains daught… - Islamic Inheritance Shares in Pakistan: Who Gets What
When a Muslim person dies in Pakistan, the estate is divided according to the Islamic law of inheritance, which fixes th… - Letter of Administration in Pakistan: What It Is and When You Need One
A letter of administration gives someone the legal authority to manage and distribute the estate of a person who has die… - Transferring Property After a Death in the Family: A Step-by-Step Guide
After a property owner dies, the house or plot must be formally transferred into the legal heirs' names before it can be… - Succession Certificate in Pakistan: A Complete Guide for Families
When a loved one passes away, banks and institutions often ask the family for a succession certificate before releasing …