RAWALPINDI: As Pakistan entered 2026, the Rawalpindi District Court’s institution branch recorded a somber milestone on the first day of the year, witnessing a staggering 56 divorce and Khula pleas.
This surge in marital dissolutions is reshaping the local legal and social landscape, prompting sociologists and legal experts to sound the alarm over the “litigation of the heart” that is increasingly replacing the traditional sanctity of the home.
Among these filings, a report highlighted that a Christian woman also approached the court to seek a divorce under the provisions of the new Christian Marriage Act. A senior civil judge is scheduled to conduct the first hearings for these newly filed family cases on January 2.
The court’s activity extended beyond family matters, as the criminal justice system saw a high volume of proceedings on the year’s opening day. As many as 21 individuals involved in murder, robbery, and narcotics cases invoked the court’s jurisdiction seeking extraordinary relief, while post-arrest bail was granted to 17 accused persons involved in kite flying, aerial firing, and kite selling.
Throughout the day, duty judges granted physical remand for 37 accused, while 21 others were sent to Adiala Jail on judicial remand. Additionally, arrest warrants were issued for seven individuals, and five suspects were officially declared proclaimed offenders.
In a move toward administrative accountability, the judiciary also took strict action against non-compliant public officials. The court ordered the suspension of salaries for three police officials, two Patwaris, two Girdawars, and one Naib Tehsildar.
Following these initial New Year’s Day proceedings, Session, Civil, Family, and Magistrate courts across Rawalpindi and the wider province are set to fully reopen on January 2, to handle the mounting backlog of cases.
