Rs200,000 unpaid maintenance lands father in jail

A Rawalpindi family court has sentenced a man to one year of rigorous imprisonment for failing to pay Rs200,000 in court-ordered maintenance for his two children following his divorce.

Family Judge Zeeshan Butt ordered that the convicted man, Zafar Mahmood, be sent to Adiala Jail. His sentence will run from November 14, 2026, to November 26, 2027.

However, the court allowed him to secure his release by depositing one-third of the outstanding maintenance amount and submitting a surety bond guaranteeing payment of the remaining balance.

The case, titled Jabeen Akhtar versus Zafar Mahmood, involved a maintenance claim filed by the former wife for their two young children. After proceedings lasting around a year, the court directed Mahmood to pay Rs200,000 in maintenance.

During the execution of the court’s order, six warning notices were issued to the father, directing him to clear the outstanding amount. However, he failed to comply with the decree.

When he eventually appeared before the court, Mahmood said he was unemployed and unable to arrange the money. He told the judge that he was struggling to meet his household expenses and could not even afford food for his family.

He further claimed that he had already borrowed money from others and exhausted his available options, leaving him unable to arrange the required amount.

The court observed that the maintenance order was a binding judicial decree and that the father was legally obligated to fulfil his financial responsibilities towards his children.

Taking notice of his failure to comply despite repeated warnings, the judge sentenced him to one year of rigorous imprisonment and ordered his transfer to Adiala Jail.

Jabeen Akhtar belongs to Faisalabad, where she returned to live with her parents following the divorce. Mahmood is a resident of Mari Jabar Road in Rawalpindi.