The Lahore High Court has ruled that biological fathers are financially responsible for children born out of wedlock or as a result of rape. Justice Ahmad Nadeem Arshad issued a 15-page verdict in response to Muhammad Afzal’s petition regarding the financial support of a five-year-old girl. The case was sent back to the trial court to reassess evidence. If the mother proves the petitioner is the biological father, the court must determine the child’s expenses. The verdict stressed that the biological father is both morally and financially accountable for the child’s upbringing. This case began in 2020 when the petitioner was accused of assaulting a woman named Maryam, resulting in the child’s birth. The trial court ordered the petitioner to pay PKR 3,000 per month, but he denied paternity and challenged the decision in the High Court.