The Lahore High Court (LHC) has ruled that financial hardship cannot relieve a father of his legal, moral and religious obligation to provide maintenance for his minor child, declaring the responsibility a continuous duty protected under both Islamic and Pakistani law.

In a detailed 15-page judgment, Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani held that a father’s obligation to support his minor child cannot be waived through private agreements, settlements or compromises, as the child’s right to maintenance remains enforceable under all circumstances.

The court observed that unpaid child maintenance constitutes a recoverable debt against the father and does not lapse merely due to the passage of time.

The judgment extensively referred to the teachings of the Holy Quran and Sunnah, including verses from Surah Al-Baqarah and Surah At-Talaq, emphasising that the financial support of children is a binding obligation under Islamic principles.