June 23, 2025
By Iqra Manzoor
LAHORE
Even as Punjab continues to operate without an elected local government representatives for over a decade, key family law services—particularly Khula (female-initiated divorce) cases—are proceeding without disruption, say officials overseeing Union Council-level arbitration processes and legal experts familiar with women’s family law matters.
Following the dissolution of local bodies and delays in holding fresh elections, the provincial government appointed administrators in place of Union Council (UC) chairpersons. Grade-17 officers, serving as Assistant Directors in the Local Government Department, have since been given the additional charge of acting as chairmen of arbitration councils—often responsible for the affairs of 40 to 60 UCs simultaneously.
Initially, concerns were raised that the absence of elected, locally embedded representatives might lead to a backlog of cases—particularly in sensitive family matters such as Khula. Previously, elected UC chairmen were responsible for handling local civic matters and played a pivotal role in resolving family law cases, including Khula applications. With one official now burdened with overseeing dozens of UCs, Voicepk launched an independent investigation to determine whether this administrative overload was actually causing delays in women’s access to justice. Contrary to those apprehensions, the investigation found that Khula cases are being resolved in a timely manner across various UCs under the supervision of appointed administrators.
‘No administrative delays’
Anum Chaudhary, Assistant Director, Local Government, who currently holds the additional charge of chairperson for arbitration proceedings across 60 UCs in Lahore, dismissed concerns of administrative delays.
“Delay rarely happens at the UC level,” she said. “If both parties want to reconcile, then they ask us to delay the process a bit so they have time to think and reconcile with their families involved. Delay usually happens in these cases because of the parties on either side, not because of us,” she told Voicepk. “After the 90-day period, the complainant or the party has to come to the UC and give an application that there is no ground for reconciliation and we want the certificate. Hence, we issue the certificate within the span of 90 days.”
Chaudhary also contextualized the impact of the absence of elected local bodies: “Whenever there is a delay in the local government elections, government officials get the additional charge—particularly local government officers. In the past, the Deputy Director Union Council was responsible for 274 UCs of Lahore and was looking into the arbitration council cases specifically. It’s different now, as Assistant Directors have been given charge of the chairman arbitration council at the Tehsil level.”
She acknowledged the challenges of managing such a large number of UCs in an urban center like Lahore. “Obviously, we face problems while dealing with all of the UCs, but that is not the case with every UC. Lahore has a large number of UCs unlike rural areas, which have smaller numbers in comparison. We try our best that no Khula case remains in a state of pendency, and that the cases get resolved timely. If there is no reconciliation, we issue the certificate within 90 days.”
Voicepk also spoke to some young women visiting the UCs for their Khula proceedings. They confirmed that the process had been smooth and they did not encounter any significant difficulties.
Muhammad Usman, the UC Secretary who has worked both with elected chairmen and the currently appointed Assistant Directors, emphasized the structure in place. “Every Union Council has a schedule for its cases and we make sure that the 90-day period does not exceed. If both parties consent to reconciliation, the process happens for reconciliation. Otherwise, the decision is given within 90 days according to the Muslim Family Laws.”
He noted that the system is running efficiently despite changes in administrative leadership. “There have been no delays in Khula cases of women in the UCs because the work has been conducted in a systematic and scheduled way. The elected chairman definitely played a helpful role in reconciliation as they knew the people and were trusted locally. However, the appointed government officials are always present in the office, making it convenient for people, especially women, to access them.”
However, legal experts offered a more nuanced view of the process, pointing toward systemic inefficiencies and gaps in communication between courts and UCs.
‘Delays can still happen’
Alia Malik, associate lawyer at the Asma Jahangir Legal Aid Cell, shared a different perspective.
“The reality is in fact the opposite,” she says. “Previously, there were many delays in Khula cases when chairmen were responsible. In my observation, delays can still happen—but usually in courts or when lawyers fail to guide women that they have to submit the decree to the UC themselves after receiving it from the court. The 90-day period starts from the day the decree is submitted to the UC. The UCs are responsible for giving the certificate within 90 days, including the reconciliation period.”
Malik further stressed the importance of streamlining the process: “This process can be improved if courts send the Khula decree issued by them directly to the UCs according to the law, and then UCs can start the process by contacting the concerned party. But because our system is not really efficient and courts do not send the decrees directly, women have to collect the decrees themselves and then submit them to the UC. For various reasons, many women delay submitting the decree.”
Another associate lawyer from the Asma Jahangir Legal Aid Cell, Hifza Aziz, echoed Malik’s concerns. “The dissolution of the marriage certificate (Khula decree) includes a clause that it will be sent to the Union Council directly from the court, but it has a cost that needs to be paid by the party. If the party does not pay the cost, the decree is not sent to the UC directly. Instead, the party collects the certified copy and submits it themselves. There are many reasons for delays—workload can be one, but there are others too, such as the cost of summoning the other party or making an announcement in the newspaper. Sometimes, women simply don’t take their decree to the UC, and that causes delays.”
‘The broader system remains inefficient’
The analysis from stakeholders indicates that while Union Councils in Lahore are processing Khula cases within the legally stipulated 90-day period, the broader system remains inefficient. The lack of automated communication between family courts and UCs creates opportunities for delay—most of which fall on the shoulders of already vulnerable women. Despite the administrative gap left by the absence of elected local governments, the appointed officials have managed to maintain continuity. However, lawyers insist that the process could be significantly improved if structural loopholes are addressed—especially in terms of decree delivery and legal guidance.