Commentary. Guest Columnists. August 8, 2025

Denial of At-Home Visitation and Its Psychological Impact: An Islamic Bioethical and Jurisprudential Perspective

By Fahad Ahmad Siddiqi

Within Pakistan’s family justice framework, this article critically examines the emotional and psychological effects of denying non-custodial parents and grandparents meaningful at-home visitation rights. The child’s developmental, emotional, and spiritual requirements are not taken into account by the current judicial practice, which frequently consists of brief visits supervised by the court. The paper argues, based on Islamic bioethical principles and the goals of Islamic law (maqasid al-shar’iah), particularly the preservation of mental well-being (if al-nafs) and kinship ties (ilat al-ra’m), that restrictions like these not only harm child welfare but also go against the spirit of Shar’iah justice. The study, which combines jurisprudential analysis, case law, and empirical child development research, reveals a disconnect between current legal practice and the fundamental Islamic and constitutional mandates to ensure the holistic well-being of the child

Commentary. Guest Columnists. July 22, 2025

Fatherhood and Family Law in Pakistan: Rethinking Custody, Maintenance, and Guardianship

By Naseem Akhtar Naaz

They say the law is no respecter of persons, but in matters of family, it often takes sides- quietly, consistently, and without ever quite saying so. In Pakistan, the letter of the law bestows guardianship and financial obligation squarely upon the father’s shoulders. He is to provide the bread, pay the bills, and underwrite the children’s future. Yet when it comes to the actual care, presence, and upbringing of the children, the soul of fatherhood, he is more often than not left out in the cold. This article takes up the cause of the forgotten father: not the negligent one who flees his duties, but the one who is dutifully bound, yet legally denied.

Guest Columnists. Policy & Position Papers. July 11, 2025 1

Justice Between Parents: Rethinking Custody Jurisprudence in Pakistani Family Courts

By Naseem Akhtar Naaz

In the quiet corners of family courts, louder than the gavel, rises the cry of a child, caught between parents who once loved and now battle. Custody disputes, though dressed in legal robes, are not merely matters of law. They are matters of the heart.

Love has turned sour. Trust has turned to dust. And so, the court is called—not just to decide—but to guide, not as a cold umpire of rules, but as a guardian of what truly matters