Islamabad, Pakistan

A man in Pakistan was sentenced to 80 lashes after he refused to admit paternity of his child. He also had falsely accused his ex-wife of adultery. 

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The rare punishment was announced after the man's ex-wife had filed a complaint in court. 

She said that they got married in February 2015. They lived together for around one month. She gave birth to a baby girl later that year in December. But the man refused to take her back to his home and didn't even provide maintenance. 

Two applications were submitted by the husband in court during the proceedings. He had requested a DNA test for the child and disowned his daughter. However, he subsequently withdrew the applications. 

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The court gave the order in favour of the woman and also directed the convict to provide maintenance for his daughter and former wife. 

Pakistan-based newspaper DAWN reported that 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. 

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The section of the ordinance reads: "Whoever commits qazf liable to hadd shall be punished with whipping numbering eighty stripes." 

As quoted by the report, the judge in his verdict wrote: "It is crystal clear that the accused is a liar and had fabricated an allegation of Qazf upon the complainant regarding illegitimacy of her daughter…" 

"Thus, he is convicted and sentenced to 80 stripes each under section 7(1) of the Qazf Ordinance, 1979," the verdict added. 

It added, "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." 

Any other evidence by man shall not be admissible in any court of law following the confirmation of the conviction from the Federal Shariat Court, the court ruled.

(With inputs from agencies)