The Lahore High Court has ruled that any amount or jewellery mentioned in a nikahnama (marriage contract) must be paid or delivered by the husband even after divorce, 24NewsHD TV reported on Saturday.
The judgment was issued by Justice Sajad Mahmood Sethi of the Lahore High Court’s Multan Bench while dismissing a petition filed by Amir Ali.
The court upheld a family court ruling directing the petitioner to fulfil his obligations under the nikahnama.
In its detailed decision, the court observed that all items listed in a nikahnama—including cash, gold, and other valuables—form part of the dower (haq mehr) and must be treated as separate and enforceable obligations and that a wife is entitled to the market value of such items if they are not provided.
The case pertained to a marriage contracted in 2011, in which the nikahnama reportedly recorded Rs5,000 in cash, five tola silver, and 10 tola gold as dower.
The former wife alleged that these items were not delivered after the divorce.
The petitioner, however, claimed that the entries regarding silver and gold were fraudulent and falsely inserted into the marriage document.
The court noted that the former wife had submitted a certified copy of the nikahnama before the trial court, while the petitioner failed to prove any forgery or falsification in the document.
Upholding the earlier family court decision, the high court ruled that the husband is legally bound to fulfil the entire dower obligation as recorded in the nikahnama.