Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Yahya Afridi on Monday emphasized that the Supreme Court is not a forum for fact-finding and will only entertain matters involving violations of law.
The remarks were made during a hearing at the Supreme Court’s Karachi registry, where a bench led by the Chief Justice was hearing multiple appeals related to maintenance (nafqah) payments.
“Fact-finding is not the role of this court. We are here to examine only breaches of law,” Chief Justice Afridi stated. He added that factual disputes, particularly in maintenance cases, should be addressed by family courts, not by the apex court. “Even the high courts should refrain from delving into factual matters,” he added.
During the proceedings, counsel for one of the petitioners claimed his client was willing to pay maintenance following separation. However, the Chief Justice noted that the petitioner had not made any payments since 2022.
“You haven’t given a single rupee to your children in three years,” Justice Afridi remarked.
Justice Shafi Siddiqui, also on the bench, pointed out that the petitioner’s arguments required a detailed review of case records, which falls under the jurisdiction of lower courts, not the Supreme Court.