Family · For citizens
No money from him? Maintenance has a deadline.
In short
In Punjab, interim maintenance is fixed at his first appearance. Miss the 14th and his defence is struck off.
By the FAI Legal editorial desk · 10 October 2026 · 10 slides · 2 min read
Quick quiz. He stops paying.
Guess first, then swipe for the answer.
- A. Nothing until the final decree
- B. His defence is struck off
- C. The case is adjourned
Answer: B. Defence struck off.
And the suit is decreed on your plaint.
“the Family Court shall, on the date of the first appearance of the defendant, fix interim monthly maintenance for wife or a child and if the defendant fails to pay the maintenance by fourteen day of each month, the defence of the defendant shall stand struck off and the Family Court shall decree the suit for maintenance on the basis of averments in the plaint”
Family Courts Act, 1964 (Punjab) · Section 17-A(1), Suit for maintenance
Two routes.
You can use one or both.
- Family CourtMaintenance is a Family Court matter (Schedule, Part I, item 3). Interim amount fixed at his first appearance (s.17-A(1)).
- Arbitration CouncilApply to the Chairman. The Council can certify the amount. Unpaid, it is recovered as arrears of land revenue (MFLO s.9(1), (3)).
Myth or fact?
Who the money is for.
- Myth: Maintenance is only for the wife.
- Fact: Interim maintenance is fixed for a wife or a child (s.17-A(1)).
It grows every year.
Section 17-A(2) and (3).
- More than you askedThe court can fix a higher amount than the plaint, given time passed (s.17-A(2)(a)).
- Yearly increaseThe court can set the annual increase (s.17-A(2)(b)).
- Court silent?It rises 10% every year automatically (s.17-A(3)).
Myth or fact?
The usual excuse.
- Myth: He hides his salary, so the court cannot know.
- Fact: The court may summon documents from any organisation, body or authority to find his estate and resources (s.17-A(4)).
Decree not paid?
Section 13 of the Act.
- Time to payFixed by the court, not more than 30 days (s.13(3)).
- Then recoveryAs arrears of land revenue, if the court so directs (s.13(3)).
- InstalmentsThe court may allow payment in instalments (s.13(5)).
Check your case. Free.
Ask FAI in your own words. It answers with the exact section and the judgments behind it.
- My husband left two years ago and pays nothing for our children. What can I claim?
- How is interim maintenance fixed under section 17-A of the Family Courts Act?
Example questions
What this does not mean
- The 14th of the month deadline and the struck off defence come from section 17-A of the Punjab Family Courts Act.
- Interim maintenance is not the final decree. It is fixed at the first appearance of the defendant while the suit goes on.
- The law in this carousel does not fix a set amount. The Family Court fixes it.
Questions people ask
What happens if the husband does not pay interim maintenance in Punjab?
If he fails to pay by the fourteenth of each month, his defence stands struck off and the Family Court decrees the suit on the basis of the plaint (s.17-A(1)).
When is interim maintenance fixed?
On the date of the first appearance of the defendant in the Family Court (s.17-A(1)).
Can a child claim maintenance in Pakistan?
Yes. Interim maintenance is fixed for a wife or a child (s.17-A(1)).
Does maintenance increase every year?
The court can set the annual increase (s.17-A(2)(b)). If the court is silent, it rises 10 percent every year automatically (s.17-A(3)).
What if the maintenance decree is not paid?
The court fixes a time to pay of not more than 30 days, then it can be recovered as arrears of land revenue if the court so directs (s.13(3)). The court may allow instalments (s.13(5)).
Sources
- Family Courts Act, 1964 (Punjab) · Section 17-A(1)
Suit for maintenance Punjab Code
Educational legal information, not legal advice. Every case turns on its own facts. Speak to a qualified lawyer about your situation. Review status: Pending advocate review. How we check.
