Man gets one-year prison sentence for failing to provide Rs200,000 in child maintenance

RAWALPINDI: A family court in Rawalpindi has sentenced a man to one year of rigorous imprisonment for failing to pay Rs200,000 in maintenance for his two children despite repeated court orders.

Family Judge Zeeshan Butt sent Zafar Mahmood to Adiala Jail, with his sentence set to run from November 14, 2026, to November 26, 2027. However, he can secure his release by paying one-third of the outstanding amount and submitting a surety bond for the remaining payment.

The case was filed by his former wife, Jabeen Akhtar, following their divorce. After a year of proceedings, the court ordered Mahmood to pay Rs200,000 in child maintenance.

During enforcement proceedings, the court issued six notices directing him to clear the dues. Mahmood told the court that he was unemployed, had borrowed money from others and could not afford the outstanding amount.

The court ruled that he was legally bound to comply with the maintenance decree and sentenced him to prison for failing to make the payment. Akhtar has since moved to Faisalabad to live with her parents, while Mahmood resides in Rawalpindi.