Non-custodial parents have decided to hold a sit-in on Thursday, which is expected to continue for three consecutive days, outside the Guardian Courts.
“We are protesting against the casual attitude of judges because of which we are unable to meet our separated children on the date and time ordered by court,” parents said. One of the central organisers of My Foundation, Tariq Nawaz Khattak, said divorced or separated non-custodial parents had various grievances, which could not be highlighted in one protest. “We have so many issues that we have already tried protesting against, but we have come up with a new strategy now – by highlighting only one issue at a time. This time, we will be focusing on the casual behavior of judges towards custodial parents and their noncompliance with court orders,” he said.
“When the court orders the child to be in court for a meeting with his non-custodial parent, most times the child does not appear on the said date and time. Sometimes medical certificates are presented as an excuse, while most times, no reason is given. In response, the judge should postpone the date for another time, and fine the custodial parents who have violated court orders. Instead, they are let off without any penalty, and we are the ones who have to suffer,” he added. Nawaz said the date was never postponed one or two days, instead most of the times, the meeting was cancelled completely and non-custodial parents who had been waiting for days for a meeting with their children, had to wait many more days. “This is unfair to us,” he added. He said that despite the unfairness meted out to them, the sit-in would be peaceful, with placards, banners and charts.