The Lahore High Court (LHC) has ruled that a husband who contracts another marriage without the first wife’s consent must immediately pay the agreed dower (Mahr) amount to his first wife.

The ruling was issued by Justice Abid Hussain Chattha in an eight-page written judgment on a petition filed by Mehnaaz Saleem.

The court modified a lower court verdict and allowed the petitioner’s claims for dower, maintenance, and dowry compensation.

Under the judgment, the husband has been directed to: Pay Rs1 million in dower immediately; provide Rs15,000 per month in maintenance until the divorce becomes legally effective, with an annual 10 per cent increase; and pay compensation equivalent to the assessed value of dowry articles.

The court noted that the husband had concealed his subsequent marriages, a fact established on record.

It also accepted that the petitioner had lawful reasons for leaving the matrimonial home.

Earlier, in 2024, a family court had ordered maintenance of Rs15,000 during the iddat period and allowed the dower amount to be paid in monthly instalments of Rs45,000.

It had also ordered payment of Rs1,000,500 as dowry compensation. Both parties later challenged the ruling before a sessions court.

In its verdict, the High Court observed that the petitioner claimed the husband had contracted third and fourth marriages without permission and had expelled her from the house.

The court further held that the alleged verbal divorce did not meet legal requirements and therefore did not dissolve the marriage.

The judgment stated that if a wife leaves the marital home for valid legal reasons, the husband remains liable to provide maintenance.

It added that, while dower is normally payable upon dissolution of marriage, immediate payment becomes mandatory when a husband remarries without the first wife’s consent.

The court said the ruling aims to protect women’s financial rights and discourage deceptive marital practices.