Guide lines for family court

2020 MLD 1147

It is the duty of the family courts to consider the following guiding principles.

a) After recording of evidence by the Family Court, if it appears that any spouse who has suffered the psychological and physical injuries at the hands of other spouse covering under the offences referred in Part-II i.e. Sections 337A(i), 337F(i), 341, 342, 343, 344345, 346, 352 and 509 PPC, the learned Family Judge has to proceed against the perpetrator and award sentence in accordance with the law.

b) The Family Court while considering the offences referred in Part-II of the Schedule should give clear findings and verdict while dilating upon the evidence, even with or without framing of charge of that offence as the legislation has used the term “notwithstanding anything contained in the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898”.

c) The Family Court can summon the evidence of expert psychiatrist, doctor, CMO or the relevant doctor who had treated the victim in such type of cases.

d) The Family Court, before pronouncement of the final judgment, if prima facie, seem the offences referred in Part-II of the Schedule, may issue a show cause to the perpetrator or the spouse accused of the offence(s) in order to justify the requirements of Article 10-A of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973 by giving full opportunity for his defence and may record his/her statement being an accused as required under Section 342 Cr.P.C. or 340(2) Cr.P.C., if so required.

e) The Family Court may also call the summary inquiry through the relevant police authorities or seek a report and treat all those reports, record and documents as part of trial and may also provide the copies of those documents to the person accused of the charge before final pronouncement of the judgment.

f) The Family Court, while deciding the issue of cruelty, may frame specific charge for the offence, consider the evidence on the touchstone and requirement of ingredients of offences referred in Part-II of the Schedule and pass a sentence simultaneously in the same judgment or may proceed separately in accordance with procedure provided under the Cr.P.C.

g) The Family Court who has not given any findings on Part-II of the Schedule (of the offences) in its judgment despite availability of evidence in the Family Court jurisdiction, shall be treated as misconduct on its part, which has to be dealt with separately by the High Court on its administrative side.