Non-Custodial Fathers Marched in Islamabad on Father's Day!

unmet47

Voter (50+ posts)
Non Custodial Fathers Marched in Islamabad On Father's Day!





The issue of Non-Custodial parents in Pakistan has been ignored for long.

These are parents who have been separated and the children live with one of them and the other parent (which is the father in 95% of the cases) is not allowed to either meet his children or only allowed a meeting inside court premises (for children less than 7 years of age).



A Playcard Held By One of The Effectees in The March

The meetings in court have a bad psychological effect on the children as well as their fathers. The time given is too little (once in a month or maximum twice for one-two hours). Also this schedule is not followed and quite often the custodial parent doesn't bring the child for meeting with the father.



Thus children are completely alienated from their fathers. And they are usually brainwashed against them.

These fathers are now demanding their right to meet their children peacefully inside their houses instead of courts.



They did a press conference inside National Press Club Islamabad, highlighting their suffering and how distressful the never-ending court proceedings are for them yet they are not able to get easy access to their children.





The issue of psychological impact on children when they have to meet their fathers in courts was also highlighted by psychologists in the press meet.



From a religious point of view it was highlighted how wrong it was for one of the parents to not allow the other parent to meet his/her child.



The Non-Custodial fathers said that there was an obvious bias towards them during the court proceedings and no strict action was taken against those using delay-tactics and those not complying with court orders (of getting the child to meet his father).






DAWN NEWS


The press conference was followed by a march till China Chowk Islamabad in which Non-Custodial fathers held banners highlighting their plight and suffering.








Some fathers broke down into tears while describing how they were not allowed to see their children, with one of the fathers exclaiming that he was only allowed to see his daughter twice in court room since 9 years!





























One of the fathers exclaimed how the system didn't care if the schedule of meeting was not followed and how distressful it was to see his child in the court room






Playcards Held By The Effectees in The March

As a result of this march, the Lahore High Court has taken up for hearing a five year old petition pertaining to home visitation of children of Non-Custodial parents. The first hearing took place on the 23rd of June. Non Custofial fathers from Lahore also presented themselves in court on the hearing day.



The organisers of this walk are very hopeful for a positive outcome from the Lahore High Court Petition and have announced another walk for their rights in Lahore after Eid on the 23rd of July in Aiwan-e-Adal!