A district and sessions court in Karachi has sentenced a man to 80 lashes for refusing to admit paternity of his child and falsely accusing his ex-wife of adultery.

Additional District and Sessions Judge (Malir) Shehnaz Bohyo convicted Fareed Qadir under Section 7(1) of the Offence of Qazf (Enforcement Of Hadd) Ordinance, 1979 for disowning his legal child and making false accusations against his ex-wife.

“Whoever commits qazf liable to had shall be punished with whipping numbering eighty stripes,” the said section of the ordinance stated.

The court ruled that the convict’s evidence shall not be admissible in any court of law following the confirmation of the conviction from the Federal Shariat Court.

“As the accused is sentenced to whipping only… he shall remain on bail, provided that he agrees to appear at the time and place designated by this court for the execution of the punishment of whipping, following the confirmation of the conviction and sentence by the court of appeal, and submits a bail bond in the sum of Rs100,000,” said the verdict.

The court added that the execution of punishment should be halted till the decision on the convict’s appeal against the sentence.

In her plea, the convict’s former wife said that her ex-husband did not provide maintenance or take her back to his home after the birth of their baby girl in December 2015.